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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237394">When Slytherins Rise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnMyKnees4U/pseuds/OnMyKnees4U'>OnMyKnees4U</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>When Slytherins Rise [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BAMF Draco, BAMF Draco Malfoy, BAMF Pansy Parkinson, BAMF Theodore Nott, Draco Malfoy &amp; Fred Weasley Friendship, Draco Malfoy &amp; George Weasley Friendship, Dumbledore Bashing, Good Slytherins, Good Theodore Nott, Gryffindor Draco, Harry Potter Bashing, Hermione Granger Bashing, Hogwarts First Year, Hufflepuff Draco, Neville Longbottom &amp; Draco Malfoy Friendship, OOC Everybody, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ravenclaw Draco, Ron Weasley Bashing, Self-Indulgent, Slytherin Politics, Smart Draco Malfoy, Swearing, alternative universe, help me pls, im sorry in advance, making it up as I go, morally grey draco, only a little bit though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:01:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,482</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237394</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnMyKnees4U/pseuds/OnMyKnees4U</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Self-Indulgent fic with Draco Malfoy as the protagonist and the golden trio as the antagonists.<br/>—————————————————-</p>
<p>Everyone knows the story of Harry Potter. The Gryffindors are good and the Slytherins are slimy.</p>
<p>But what if I told you that all of this wasn’t true?</p>
<p>The Slytherins were told they were bad guys and even though they weren’t, they were treated as such.</p>
<p>This is the real story: When Slytherins Rise</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Undecided</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>When Slytherins Rise [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>244</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. “...this is a terrible idea...”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/jvKiyfnkfUa7SJrJ7"> answer this please! as many times as you'd like!
 </a>
</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Train<br/>First Meeting of Harry, Ron, Fred and George<br/>Sorting</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a>
  <br/>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pansy crossed her legs and leaned forward. “I heard there’s a celebrity on the train,” she whispered. Vincent, who wasn’t normally interested in gossip, made a sound of inquisitiveness, wordlessly telling Pansy to continue.</p><p>“It’s.... <em>Harry Potter!</em>” She grinned like a Cheshire Cat and observed her friends reaction.</p><p>Theo looked up from his book and stared suspiciously at Pansy, “Are you absolutely sure?” Affronted, Pansy launched into a tirade about friendship, believing others and overdramatic wails about how hurt she was that Theo hadn’t believed her.</p><p>At this point, the rest of the carriage tuned out and had their own conversation about the celebrity.</p><p>Blaise was worried that Dumbledore’s “cronies” had already accosted the poor boy while Draco was certain that Potter would be a Gryffindor no-matter-what, due to his parents, so there would be no use trying to introduce themselves since “All Gryffindors are the same”.</p><p>The feud between Gryffindor and Slytherin had continued for centuries and had only gotten worse since Dumbledore become headmaster, the old coot was blatantly biased against Slytherins and it seemed like no one had a problem with it seeing as they had already been deemed the evil(est) house in Hogwarts.</p><p>However, Blaise was insistent that he and Draco at least <em>try</em> to worm their way into Potter’s good books. Everyone who knew him, knew he did everything for a reason. So off they went.</p><p>“This is such a bad idea,” Draco whined “we both know it’s too late! By the time we get there he’s already going to think we’re evil!”</p><p>Blaise threw an unimpressed look over his shoulder at Draco but still attempted to ease his friends worries.</p><p>“Don’t be a prat. If he’s been turned to the ‘light side’,” he made air quotes with his fingers “then we’ll leave him to his merry band of Weasleys.”</p><p>Draco had barely opened his mouth to respond when the compartment next to them slammed open and two tall gingers appeared in front of them.</p><p>“Did someone say –“ the blue eyed one began<br/>
“– Weasleys?” The brown eyed one finished.</p><p>Draco looked at the twins as if they were dirt under his shoe for a few seconds before he clasped Blaise’s shoulder and mock-whispered “Just walk past, they’re quite like dogs.”</p><p><br/>
“Ignore them and they lose interest?” Blaise asked, walking closer to the redheads posed in front of them.</p><p>“Exactly.“ Draco said, smiling.</p><p><br/>
Fred gasped and said, “You wound me!”, while George placed the back of his palm to the side of his forehead and pretended to be dizzy.<br/>
“Now, now, Draco. Be nice,” said Blaise. “It’s not like we were being very secretive, talking on a packed train.” He patted the hand on his shoulder softly. Draco adamantly disagreed with him, saying that everyone should just mind their business since they weren't talking about them.</p><p>“Hey, George,” said Fred. “I think they’re ignoring us.”<br/>
“Speak for yourself, Fred. The kid over there still looks disgusted by my existence.”</p><p>“Draco! What did I just say!” Blaise shouted, appalled by his friend’s manners.</p><p>“I’m sorry! It’s just that – aren’t they supposed to be twins?” Draco began “There are too many clear differences between them.” He shrugged</p><p>“Like what?” Blaise asked. He couldn’t see a single <em>physical</em> difference between the twins.</p><p>Draco then went on into a detailed explanation of everything he could tell apart as if it was a spot-the-difference game.<br/>
“Their personalities are much different too,” Draco added.</p><p>“How could you know that?” George asked, these first years had intrigued him and he wanted to know more.</p><p>Blaise now picked off from where Draco left off “First of all, when Fred did his whole exclamation, George had one of those looks on his face. Fred is more outgoing.”</p><p>“Wait, what is ‘one of those looks’?” George asked, looking confused.</p><p>“The one that says: ‘I wish I was somewhere else, but where you go, I go. so here I am’.” Blaise explained.</p><p>“What are your names?” Fred asked.</p><p>“How rude of us,” said Draco. “I’m Draco Malfoy. Pleasure to meet you.”</p><p>“Blaise Zabini, only son of Mrs Zabini. Maybe ‘Miss Zabini’ at this point. I’ll know by tomorrow.”</p><p>Fred took charge and introduced himself and his brother, even though they’d already spoken their names in front of the first-years. “My name is Fred, and this is George, as you might have heard.”</p><p>“Wait a second,” said George. “‘Malfoy’? Our families don’t like each other, do they?” He vividly remembered his father coming back to The Burrow swearing about a ‘Lucius Malfoy’ just last week.</p><p>Draco gave a snort and said, “Definitely not, but I won’t tell if you don’t. Did the hair not give it away?” He winked.</p><p>“You pure-bloods are much different than we thought you’d be.” George narrowed his eyes, examining the two people standing before him, as if expecting them to transform into someone else.</p><p>“What?” Blaise asked. “Don’t tell me you thought we’d be going ‘Grrrr, Muggleborns! Ew, blood traitors!’ We’re better than that.” Blaise laughed at the thought. It seemed as if everyone had preconceived notions about others. Draco and George told each other stories about times where their fathers had a fit about the other, Draco loved his father but he had to admit that the feud was ridiculously childish. </p><p>“Wrap it up, Draco,” said Blaise. “We have to go.” He then explained to the twins about wanting to talk to Harry Potter so it didn't look like they were just trying to escape the gingers.</p><p><br/>
“Okey dokey,” said Fred.<br/>
“See you later,” said George.</p><p>“Those Weasley’s are very interesting...” Draco replied, sounding distracted and lost in his thoughts</p><p>“I know what you mean, they looked gobsmacked when we pointed out their differences” Blaise chimed in</p><p>Draco confessed that he was somewhat worried that he had offended them but knew he could deal with them easily. They soon found themselves in front of the compartment they were looking for and knocked before entering</p><p><em>Another</em> ginger with dull blue eyes took one look at Draco’s hair and started glaring, while the other boy with messy black hair and green eyes quirked his eyebrow at them so Blaise quirked his back.</p><p>"I heard Harry Potter was in here?” Of course Draco knew which one of them was Potter, but he didn’t want to come on too strong</p><p>“That’s me.” the clipped response was accompanied with a smug smirk.</p><p>“Hello, my name is Draco Malfoy. We’re in the same year, I hope we could get to know each other and maybe become friends. What do you say?”</p><p>Draco held out his right hand for Harry to shake, Harry hadn’t made a good impression but Draco had learnt not to judge someone immediately. Ronald, they knew from the ginger hair and hand-me-down clothes, stayed silent. </p><p>Harry had began to raise his hand so he could take Draco’s hand, he needed all the friends he could get, when Ron decided to interject</p><p>“Don’t do it Harry! They’re death eaters!” His voice was full of scorn, he had heard tales from his parents about the first war and recognised the name Malfoy easily along with the blonde hair.</p><p>“Weasley, we are 11 years old. How could we possibly be death eaters at this age?” Blaise pronounced each word slowly as if talking to a toddler, he had chalked up Ron’s stupidity to propaganda and deemed him unworthy of his respect. An annoyed Zabini was a sight to behold, Blaise was already standing so when he purposefully looked down on Ron, the ginger felt like a threatened crup and held on to his fake courage.</p><p>“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” Ron crosses his arms and smiled condescendingly as if he had won some form of argument</p><p>That was his first mistake. Draco was notorious for his argumentative personality and raised by Lucius Malfoy, the king of manipulation and fabricated lies, needless to say. Draco was not going to back down.</p><p>He laid out accusations of Weasley’s mother sleeping with all different men since all his brothers were quite different. Draco then went on to ask, since 11-year-olds were death eaters, if Weasley was in The Order. From the perplexed look on his face, Draco knew he had stumped him, how could he be a member of the Wizard-Nazis if Weasley himself knew nothing about the winning side.</p><p>Harry, unable to stand by while his “friend” was insulted took it upon himself to join in. Unused to the fast-paced nature of arguments, it had taken him a while to come up with a reasonable retort.</p><p>“I don’t want to be friends with a bunch of evil bastards” Harry glared his nose and frowned at them</p><p>Instead of the outraged reaction he was looking for, Draco and Blaise made eye contact and burst into laughter.</p><p>“I don’t want to hear the prejudiced, orphan who wasn’t raised right and can’t form his own opinions talking, thank you very much” Since he'd already forgone the nice approach, Blaise spoke his mind still giggling.</p><p>“And who the hell are you calling a bastard? No one knew where you were for years, and they obviously didn’t care to look.” Draco added, it felt insane to him that Potter’s insult would be his heritage knowing well purebloods were proud of it. “I’d rather be a bastard than an insignificant twat.”</p><p>“Well, it’s been a real waste of time talking to you, please check your prejudices and never speak to us, or our friends, again.” And with that speech, Blaise and Draco opened the compartment door.</p><p>“How dare-“ Ron began, face nearly purple.</p><p>“Hush, Weasley. No one cares about your opinion.” Draco put his hands in his pockets and followed his friends out of the train cabin. Leaving Harry and Ron reeling from their first encounter with the purebloods.</p><p>Making their way back to their own compartment they waved at the twins and retold the entire story to Pansy, Vince and Greg who were just as angry as they were, Pansy even wanted to go back to the compartment and hex the boys until their eyes had become their kneecaps (a new hex she'd learnt from Bellatrix's grimoire). None had a major reaction to the encounter with the Weasley Twins but they still internally wondered what the Twins could be planning - if they were planning something.</p><p>When they got off the train and into boats they squeezed into the 4-seaters and hoped that no one would split them up as they giddily told each other facts about Hogwarts that their parents had told them as well as the locations of a few secret passages.</p><p>Minutes later, they entered the great hall. It was magnificent. High roof and bewitched ceiling, floating candles and so many ghosts. The group had always known they had magic within them but seeing great hall in the flesh was an entirely different thing completely. It was the definition of enchanting and magical.</p><p>The sorting had began nerves were running high. Vincent and Greg had been sorted into Slytherin very quickly while others took a few seconds before the hat came to a decision.</p><p>Then Draco was called.</p><p>“Malfoy, Draco”</p><p>Draco sat down stiffly on the uncomfortable stool and glanced nervously at Pansy who gave him a thumbs up from amongst the crowd of unsorted first years</p><p>The hall watched in silence as the boy’s expression changed from outraged to a scowl to confusion to relief before the hat reached a decision after exactly 8 minutes and 12 seconds. It bellowed,</p><p>“SLYTHERIN”</p><p>But of course, that was not all it said.</p><p>“RAVENCLAW, GRYFFINDOR AND HUFFLEPUFF”</p><p>The blond boy face palmed before looking over at his friends with an annoyed expression while they looked back at him with a look that said ‘what did you do?’. Unlike his friends, Theo just blinked a few times, he could see why Draco would be sorted into any of the houses but it didn't explain how his Slytherin side didn't tip the scale.</p><p>Professor McGonagall took the hat off Draco’s head and looked desperately at Dumbledore, there had never been a student in more than one house never mind all four.</p><p>“Draco, my dear boy, come with me and we can discuss this outrageous sorting!”</p><p>Dumbledore hastily made his way to the little boy, the twinkle in his eye more angry than comforting. He grabbed hold of Draco’s upper forearm and tried to drag him out of the hall and to his office but Draco wasn't going to comply.</p><p>Draco tried to tug his arm free but after the second failed attempt chose to tell Dumbledore exactly what he'd be doing for the next hour: Watch his friends be sorted, eat and talk. Only after this had taken place would he make his way to Dumbledore's office. Draco’s tone left no room for argument, headmaster or not, manhandling a young student made for a terrible first impression.</p><p>Dumbledore released his arm and Draco stalked over to the Slytherin table with a stormy expression where he sat down next to Crabbe and Goyle who offered him a pancake that Draco accepted.</p><p>A full minute passed of silence before Dumbledore cleared his throat and announced</p><p>“Let us continue with the sorting! With our next student. Harry Potter”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. “As if you’d have the guts to hex me,”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little fight<br/>Neville and Parvati<br/>Hermione</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
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  <br/>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Soon the sorting was finished, Potter in Gryffindor as expected but, after Draco’s shocking placement, it passed with little fanfare.</p><p>The minute Blaise (last on the register) had sat down, the group of first years started furiously whispering amongst themselves. Telling Draco, he was foolish and going into excruciating detail about how his father was going to skin him alive and feed him to peacocks. Blaise was so frustrated that he started cursing him out in both French and his native tongue. 'Yeah! Whatever he said!' Pansy agreed.</p><p>“I got it! I’m dead! Can we move on to the more important matter now?!” Draco finally exclaimed tired of all the berating</p><p>Theo looked at his friends in confusion “What matter?”</p><p>“Theo, honey, you really need to pay attention,” Pansy said exasperated “Dumbledore wants to speak to Draco after this!”</p><p>“That’s not good!”</p><p>Pansy exhaled, “We know, Theo.”</p><p>Pansy and Theo hadn’t always gotten along, Pansy liked attention and gave long speeches while Theo always seemed elsewhere and needed her to keep repeating herself which disrupted her flow. After years of knowing each other, she was used to it but it didn’t make it any less irritating.</p><p>“Well he’s not going to let us all go with Draco! Pansy will be the only one allowed.”</p><p>Although Theodore Nott normally had his head in the clouds, he was an amazing strategist. His unassuming stature made him perfect for gathering information since people tended to underestimate him, his father enrolled him in chess competitions soon after he discovered his son’s gift which is where Theo and Draco met. They frequently had to compete with each other during the finals, so eventually it just made sense to acquaint themselves.</p><p>“Why is that?” Blaise inquired</p><p>“The patriarchy,” Theo shrugged his shoulders “all Pansy needs to do is cry a little and Dumbledore will think she’s some weak little girl with a crush on Draco.”</p><p>Pansy and Draco made similar sounds of disgust, Pansy and Draco saw each other as nothing more than siblings and the idea of Pansy liking Draco was repulsive.</p><p>Midway through the third revision of the plan, Pansy kept interrupting with inspiring rants about dismantling the patriarchy which never failed to derail the conversation to women’s rights, Potter and his Weasel decided to pick a fight.</p><p>Potter and his pet paraded past the Slytherin table purposefully elbowing Draco in the face.</p><p>“Watch where you’re going, death eater!” Potter sneers</p><p>“Are you dumb? Like genuinely?” Draco asked, voice just lower than shouting. He gestured towards himself who was sitting down then to Potter who was standing.</p><p>The place he was hit starting flare up a splotchy red and Pansy cast a quick healing spell before turning to the instigator.</p><p>“If you can’t keep your hands to yourself, I’ll do it for you.” She hissed relatively calmly,</p><p>“Aw, did I make your little girlfriend mad?” He said mockingly</p><p>Sensing that Pansy was about to forgo wands and simply brawl with the scrawny twit, Blaise gripped her wrist and attempted to soothe her. Only for Weasel to pipe up,</p><p>“Don’t you guys have muggles to torture?”</p><p>Pansy started trying to rip herself away from Blaise again to fight the boy. She couldn't stand stereotypes and those boys were full of them.</p><p>“Let me at him! He won’t have teeth when I’m through with him!” She growled</p><p>“Control your dog!” The Saviour of the Wizarding World exclaimed, stumbling backwards in fear.</p><p>Ron pointed at Pansy, "It needs to be put down."</p><p>No sooner had the words left his mouth did Theo hex Potter, suddenly an array of bats of various sizes started flying to freedom from the boy’s nose.</p><p>Draco, on the other hand, went for a more violent approach and set Weasley’s robes on fire. Letting out a devilish laugh at the panicked looks on the ginger’s face as he attempted to put out the flames.</p><p>The duo’s embarrassment lasted for a measly 2 minutes before Blaise decided to relieve them, putting out the fire and countering the bats. At the grateful look on their faces, Blaise corrected them.</p><p>“Do not mistake this for kindness, I’m only doing this so my friends don’t get in trouble.” Blaise leaned forward and mock whispered “You’re both so fragile it felt like a waste of time watching you flail around, this is mercy.”</p><p>The teacher's were too busy whispering amongst themselves to notice that anything was wrong, partially because the Slytherin table weren't ones to start screaming and the table next to them - Hufflepuff - thought Ron and Harry deserved it. Blaise was loyal to a fault, maybe it was trauma from never having a stable family and always seeing a stranger in his house before they mysteriously died, or simply unbreakable bonds between him and his friends but Blaise had learnt to value those who stuck by him so he always looked out for his friends and they could do no wrong in his eyes.</p><p>Embarrassed, the cowards made the walk of shame back to their table where Potter snapped at a shaking boy, Draco remembered his name to be Neville Longbottom.</p><p>“What do you think you’re looking at, fatty?”</p><p>Draco turned to his friends</p><p>“Sorry, guys, seems like I’ll be abandoning you early.”</p><p>The rest of the group had watched the interaction between Potter and the chubby boy and fully supported whatever Draco planned to do, perks of being powerful I guess.</p><p>With that, Draco got up and stalked towards Neville who looked between Potter and him in absolute terror, anticipating a fight of some sort in which he'd inevitably be caught in the crossfire.</p><p>Draco took no note of Potter and the boy wisely chose to sit further up the table than next to Longbottom.</p><p>“Hello,” Draco began, talking to Neville in a soft voice he reserved for small frightened animals “Why don’t we sit over there?” he pointed to the Weasley twins who examined the situation with varying degrees of interest.</p><p>An affronted voice sounded from further down the Gryffindor table belonging to a frizzy haired girl with a scowl. She tried to tell Draco that he couldn’t just leave his house table, an idiotic argument since he was in every house and he didn’t hesitate to tell her this.</p><p>“Were you absent for my sorting? Or did some selective memory come into play?” Draco asked sarcastically, soft voice gone without a trace, “I am literally in every house, no one dictates where I sit.”</p><p>The girl’s hair grew even more, perhaps trying to cover the girl’s aggressively blushing face.</p><p>Draco muttered something that sounded suspiciously like ‘I’m surrounded by nitwits' while shaking his head, he then looked back to Neville and gave him a charming smile before holding out his hand for the second time that day.</p><p>Without thinking, Neville took his hand and introduced himself. Together, they walked towards the twins.</p><p>“Move over” Draco deadpanned</p><p>Fred raised his eyebrows,</p><p>“That’s not a very nice way to greet an old friend”</p><p>“We barely know each other.”</p><p>“At least be nice about it!”</p><p>Draco gave the older boy a callous look, “You asked for this.” Draco waved his wand and sent a burst of pressure towards them that sent the twins further up the table, much to the surprise of everyone around them. Draco situated himself in the newly cleared spot while Neville stayed standing expecting retaliation from the older boys but sat when they didn't do anything.</p><p>“How’d you do that!” Neville asked in awe of the ease in which Draco had moved them. An Indian first year from across the table chose to give in to her curiosity and lean over.</p><p>“Yeah, that was super cool! You burnt that bully’s robe and now this, I’m sure you’re not supposed to know how to do that.” she giggled, then introduced herself as Parvati Patil.</p><p>“Did your par- guardians not teach you some spells before Hogwarts?” Draco fumbled about to say ‘parents’ until he remembered that Neville’s were in St. Mongos... Due to Draco's aunt.</p><p>The still shell-shocked twins observed the trio in interest, they had expected all the Gryffindors to ignore him and have to keep the blond company only for Draco to easily make friends. They weren't annoyed, just a little bit disappointed that they wouldn't get to talk to him as much. </p><p>One pleasant conversation about Transfiguration later, Dumbledore said his speech. A wholly uninteresting affair until he mentioned a 'very painful death' awaiting whoever explored the third-floor corridor. Draco swiftly twisted around in his seat to look at his other friends, Neville noticed this and told the Slytherin to go back to his Slytherins, “Don’t worry about me, I’m sure I can talk to Parvati!” Parvati grinned and waved at Draco in agreement.</p><p>Hastily, he left the den of lions only to feel a sort of sizzle on his cloak alerting him that someone had attempted to hex him. Not a minor one either, or Draco wouldn't have noticed it at all! He whirled around and whipped out his wand, snarled and called out the random Hufflepuff who had obviously hexed him “Don't make me curse you.”</p><p>“As if you’d have the guts to hex me, you’re bluffing!” Random Hufflepuff shouted, calling all attention to him and Draco “Everyone knows it.”</p><p>“It’s like everyone forgot what I did today. I literally set someone’s robe on fire," He pointed to the Weasel who turned away with a huff "Why even antagonise me?” He didn’t wait for a response</p><p>Draco flicked his wand and suddenly Random Hufflepuff’s arms snapped to his side and he fell out of his chair, unconscious.</p><p>An immediate uproar began, people scrambled away from the unconscious boy’s body. Screaming about how Draco has killed him</p><p>He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose “He’s just petrified! Did you not hear me cast?”</p><p>Draco hadn’t said a word when he cast his spell, there was a reason he was in Ravenclaw, he had mastered wordless and wandless magic when he was 9 and already knew the school’s curriculum up to 6th year. The problem arose when his father warned him that if anyone knew he was this powerful, they’d kidnap him. So, Draco lied to everyone.</p><p>Professor McGonagall stormed over to Draco, publicity chastising him while cancelling Draco’s spell.</p><p>“That is so irresponsible! 10 points from Gryffin- Rav- Slyth- I don’t even know!” She her hand on her head and attempted to make Draco understand why he shouldn't cast spells at other people and how - if he ever did it again - he'd be in for a Saturday detention.</p><p>Draco turned out at this point and left the professor talking to the air while he made his way back to the Slytherins who had already come up with a plan to discover what was in that corridor. After some comments about Draco abandoning them for his new Gryffindors, they revised the plan quickly and chose to meet in the common room after curfew to make sure it was fool proof.</p><p>Seconds later, Dumbledore seemed to appear next to Draco. Trying to give him no time to comprehend what was happening before he was dragged away. Unfortunately for him, the snakes were nothing if not thorough and wasted no time setting the plan into motion.</p><p>Pansy gets up to go with him, smiling daintily and grabbing Draco’s hand. Ready to go wherever he went.</p><p>“And where do you think you’re going, Miss Parkinson?”</p><p>“With Draco, of course! We’re <em>really</em> close!” A new coy smile played on her lips, playing a smitten girl perfectly.</p><p>To no one’s surprise, Dumbledore immediately shut her down. Saying that she wasn’t welcome to join his discussion, he worded it quite harshly for someone who was supposed to be a grandfather figure.</p><p>Pansy burst into tears screaming that she’s always with Draco, making enough of a fuss that the teachers started looking at the headmaster with disapproval.</p><p>Dumbledore looking at Pansy then at the rest of the hall wondering how he could get her to stop crying and deigned to let her join them. They make their way up to his office, Pansy latched onto Draco’s arm like a leech.</p><p>“What is this about, sir?” Draco asked after denying the headmaster’s offer of a lemon drop</p><p>“To put it simply, you must be expelled.”</p><p>Pansy started wailing again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Updates, once/twice a month!</p><p>The Slytherins are 100% feminists, Pansy is a force to be reckoned with and there's no way she'd be friends with them if they weren't.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. “We always find a way.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dumbledore, Draco, Lucius</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a>
  <br/>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
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  <p>“You can’t be serious!” Pansy shrieked, voice breaking “On what grounds?!”</p>
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  <p>“Your dear friend has been sorted into 4 houses which is simply impossible.” Dumbledore gestured to the blond who was staring at his clenched fists in his lap, “It’s obvious that some... foul play has been done it also isn’t <em>safe </em>for the other students.” His accusation of Draco doing dark magic on the hat was not explicit yet heavily implied. "We have a zero tolerance policy for dark magic and, to avoid any disasters, I've decided that it is in the school's best interest to remove you from the premises."</p>
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  <p>Draco blinked twice, opened and closed his mouth like a fish before blinking some more and turning to Pansy who had clasped her hand over her mouth as her eyes filled with genuine tears.</p>
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  <p>She was not prepared for this. Neither of them were. Dumbledore was known to joke around but this was real.</p>
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  <p>“I’ll have the house-elves repack your things” Dumbledore explained in a soft tone although his eyes twinkled like he had just won the lottery.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco took a deep breath and stood from his chair, as well as gave a polite smile to the headmaster before speaking</p>
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  <p>“Right. Well, it seems like I have a letter to write.” He adjusted his robes, a difficult task to do with a shaking girl clung like glue to your arm “This will all be fixed in the morning.” His voice barely shook but Dumbledore heard it all the same and his lips quirked upwards for a fraction of a second.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco left the office with a confidence he did not feel. He knew that writing a letter to his father, Lucius, would be enough yet he still wondered: was it worth it? Of course Dumbledore was wrong except The Malfoys had a dark history and no one would bat an eye if it was in the papers plus Lucius would not take kindly to his heir being <em>expelled </em>mere hours into his enrolment even though it wasn’t his fault and he knew rumours about his expulsion would spread like wildfire throughout the school from the portraits. No one would believe him if he told the truth and the Hat is sworn to secrecy about every sorting so it’d be of no help either. He was going to be targeted, torn apart and taken down.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Maybe going to a new school was for the best. He knew French so Beauxbatons was an eligible choice-</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“I know that look, Draco.” Pansy released Draco, stood directly in front of him and folded her arms. “We’re going to fix this! It’s not right! You’re the same as every student here!” She sounded as if she was trying to convince herself rather than Draco.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco looked up from the ground to meet his friend’s eyes, “Except I come from a dark family. I was sorted into all 4 houses, manhandled students from years above us and fought cast multiple aggressive spells at fellow students. All in one day.” In that moment, the gravity of the situation hit him and Pansy could practically feel the tension that radiated from him. "Once is a mistake, twice is a choice and thrice is a habit. I can't actually fault him for this decision."</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>She put her hands on his shoulders and glared at him with fierce determination.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“We can do this, alright? We always find a way.”</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco nodded, out of politeness rather than actual agreement.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Although what Pansy said was true, it felt to him like she was lying, like she had underestimated what awaited them in the near future.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>They walked to the dungeons in heavy silence. They split up as soon as they entered the common room, Draco to start his letter and Pansy to find the boys and recount the last hour to them.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>True to Dumbledore’s word, the house-elves has repacked his trunk and placed it at the foot of his bed. He rummaged through it, took out some parchment and a self-inking quill and got to work.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>The letter was quite short, ‘pleasantries are for strangers, Dragon, we are <em>family</em>’ as his mother, Narcissa, would tell him. Plus the faster Lucius read the letter, the faster Draco could be re-enrolled. After less than 20 minutes, the letter had been delivered and a reply had been sent back.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Lucius was coming to Hogwarts.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco massaged his forehead with his fingers and sat with himself on his ex(?) bed. He must’ve fallen asleep since when he opened his eyes, he saw Lucius reading on a stool next to where Draco rested.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Glancing over the top of the book, at his son, Lucius returned to reading and flipped a page,</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"I see you're finally awake."</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco sat up with an obnoxiously loud groan as he stretched and asked his father about his meeting with Dumbledore. Lucius stiffened at the mention of the head teacher and visibly forced himself relaxed, though his fingers had begun to tremble a little bit, then assured Draco that he would not be going anywhere.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>The whole interaction was weird to Draco, Lucius was a confident, boastful man. So what was with the blatant (unconscious and suspiciously uncontrollable) display of fear that stemmed from his meeting with Dumbledore?</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco stared at his father owlishly, long enough for him to look up from his book again, and cast a spell</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"<em>Legilimens</em>"</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Caught off guard, Lucius had no time to erect his almost impenetrable walls and Draco wandered in his head until he found what he was looking for. Draco entered the memory and watched.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Lucius had encountered Albus the second he stepped in through the floo into Dumbledore's office. The old man had smiled at him but his eyes betrayed his anger and self-assurance, Lucius wasted little time before insulting, belittling and disputing his decision to dismiss Draco. Perhaps it was planned, maybe it was impulsive, might even had been expected if it was anyone else.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>However, one second Lucius was flaying Albus with words then the next Albus has slapped him across the face and an invisible magical appendage was choking the eldest Malfoy against the wall. Breathing had become difficult very quickly and Lucius tried to fight against the force futilely while Dumbledore took several steps towards him with his hands clasped behind his back.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"I could kill you right now," he tilted his head to the side while looking Lucius in his eyes, waited a beat and continued "but I won't."</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Dumbledore released his spell and Lucius sank to the floor attempting to regain his breath as the older wizard grabbed his hair and forced him to look up at him and bent his neck further and further to the side until he heard a pop then he started his monologue after he tied and silenced Lucius.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"Your evil little rat of a son, comes in here, gets sorted into 4 houses, uses spells he shouldn't know against other students, befriends blood traitors and mudbloods in one day." Albus stomped on one of Lucius’ fingers with every statement and all the blonde could do was try to stop himself from crying.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Albus saw this and rolled his eyes,</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“You must think that you’ll come out of this in one piece but I assure you that you won’t. I have everyone under my control even the Potter boy bent to my wishes and all I had to do was “save” him from the relatives I dumped him with in the first place. I’m going to permanently ruin you, Lucius.”</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>The aforementioned man’s eyes widened as he heard about the Saviour but he had no time to even think before he was Crucio’d as Albus laughed</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“Funny how one spell turns even the “strongest” men into sobbing little babies.” He spat at the convulsing body</p>
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  <p> </p>
  <p>"I know it wasn't a well thought out decision but <em>it would've worked</em>! That's what made it so frustrating. Your son had accepted that if you couldn't talk me out of it - he'd give up. But that conniving <em>slut </em>Pansy just had to give him some hope."</p>
  <p> </p>
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  <p>"How dare your son undermine my authority? How dare he pretend not to be the death eater that I know he is? How dare he put on this perfect act of righteousness and justice and win over students who should hate him?"</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>The air was thick with raw, violent magic which made a glass on the table explode but a Dumbledore paid no mind to it,</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"I'll make him regret it. He'll wish he never came here when I'm through with him!" Suddenly Dumbledore stopped dead in his tracks as his voice lowered to a whisper "and to do that, I need to keep him here. I'll ruin him for life."</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“To think, I made so many traps for that Potter boy to fall into this year. The forbidden corridor, the forbidden forest, the ginger and that bucktoothed bitch. Even that evil teacher Quirrel, I specifically hired a teacher with <em>Voldemort on the back of his head</em> into a school. Only for that little prick to somehow abandon his entire “poor-little-orphan-boy” act in order to antagonise your demon-spawn, I’m surprised he didn’t get sorted into Slytherin trying to beat your brat at his own game- then again, takes a certain degree of stupidity or I guess <em>bravery </em>to continue to aggravate a boy who you know could make your insides, outsides.”</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>He seemed like he was talking to himself at that point, forgetting that he was torturing someone in his office.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“That Neville Longbottom is another intriguing student, his obvious frailty and timidity should’ve fast tracked him into Hufflepuff but he somehow landed in Gryffindor. Where he is chosen by YOUR SON TO BE HIS FRIEND along with some Indian girl. What is Draco planning? He had his rightful spot in Slytherin with his snakes but no-o, he had to fuck everything up.”</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>He scoffed</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“If he's planning to make more friends then he's in for a rude awakening. Even if anyone was willing after that, they won’t once the portraits start the rumours”</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>He then turned to look at an empty portrait behind his desk</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>“It’s already begun.”</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>he turned to Lucius again, "I really must break this habit of telling people I don't trust my secrets." he shook his head and with a mocking voice, addressed Lucius "Well, I hope you don't mind but I can't have you revealing anything."</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Next, Dumbledore imperio'd Lucius and forced him to cast an Unbreakable Vow, unfortunately for that bastard, his specific words were:</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"Will you, Lucius Malfoy, promise not to say any of what you have heard here today, bar the cancellation of your son, Draco Malfoy's, expulsion?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Meaning Draco invading Lucius's mind was technically not a violation of the oath since Lucius had not said anything.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco Lucius Malfoy was angry. In fact, angry didn't even begin to describe the abundance of hate, rage and murderous intent that he felt. Dumbledore had gone too far and he would pay for his transgressions.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco retreated from his father's mind and thought it best to erase the past few minutes from his memory so he would be none the wiser of what his son knew and had done.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>After Lucius had left, Draco tracked down Pansy who was with the rest of his snakes in the back corner in the library and <em>Parvati</em> who looked perfectly at home with Pansy draped across her lap, conjuring different styles of earrings for Parvati to try on, she was currently wearing ladybug ones that matched her uniform. Theo and Blaise were concentrated scanning through Hogwarts a History with several piles of books around them, Draco wouldn't have known they were there if not for the sounds of flipping pages and the fact that he could see their feet and recognised their shoes.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Pansy had evidently filled them in and they had set off to work while the girl in question was chatting amicably with a Gryffindor instead of helping. Draco couldn't blame her though, since childhood, Pansy had been surrounded by boys because her mother wanted a marriage contract set up as soon as possible. Of course, her mum attempted to introduce her only daughter and child to other girls her age but after a disastrous encounter involving Millicent Bulstrode, she decided against any further prolonged interactions. What Mrs. Parkinson didn't know, however, was that Pansy had made friends with a <em>muggle</em> girl, a year younger than Pansy, who lived less quite close to them.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Draco cleared his throat and put two thumbs up with a smile. Blaise gave him a look of contempt and Theo went back to reading.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"What does that even mean?" Blaise asked, cocking his head to the side, voice incredulous "<em>Fums up fwom Dwaco</em>," he said in a babyish voice with an annoyed expression "while Theo and I are trying to find a loophole so you're NOT EXPELLED!" He retreated back behind his tower of literature, muttering about how he'd turn Draco into a footstool and gift him to Big Foot.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Theo was also stressed, he had never been in this situation and felt it his duty to save his best friend unfortunately he was not coping as well under this pressure as he would in any other situation, but instead of lashing out like Blaise, he bottled his emotions and focused on the task at hand.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"That's the whole point!" Draco said smiling, "You don't have to! Dumbledore cancelled it!"</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>The whole group celebrated but were promptly 'shhh'ed by Madam Pince, the librarian, which made the girls snort. Theo turned to Draco and his smile dropped.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"Why don't you look happy?"</p>
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  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>And all attention was on Draco for the hundredth time that day.</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just letting everyone know now that there will be characters that have their years changed in the next chapter or chapter after that mostly because I want them to be in school when everyone else is. I kind of rushed this chapter since I really wanted it out on the 13th but I'm overall happy with it.</p>
<p>I haven't really given Lucius the label of a good or bad father yet but that doesn't really matter in today's chapter.<br/>I feel like there are some inconsistencies but I cant identify them so tell me if I've forgotten something or something doesn't make sense.<br/>Someone on the google form (Chapter 1 Notes) said I should add Magical Creatures and I'm absolutely taken with the idea so TYSM to that person and leave any suggestions in the comments !</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! Leave any and all feedback in the comments please and I'll either see you on the 23rd or the 13 of March !</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. “Speak of the devil...”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>RoR<br/>Terry Boot<br/>Luna and her lovely kneazle<br/>Troll<br/>Theo and Neville</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a>
  <br/>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At Draco's slight shake of head, Theo asked louder, "No, what's wrong?"</p><p> </p><p>"Nothing," Draco said still smiling, now everyone was looking closer then and could see his glassy eyes and the wobble in the grin. "I just found out some troubling information.". Troubling was more than an understatement, as they would soon find out, but Draco's head was torn. The logical side wanted him to focus on solving issues while the other felt sympathy for his father and just wanted vengeance.</p><p> </p><p>Without a word, Blaise took him by the hand and led him to the third floor, fully expecting the rest to follow, and walked back and forth a patch of wall three times before a door materialised and he ushered them in.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise explained how the room worked and that he had read of the Room of Requirement in a very old edition of Hogwarts A History so he had, on impulse, thought it was the perfect place to go for the conversation they were about to have.</p><p> </p><p>He then demanded the blonde, who made himself comfortable on a couch with Theo, opposite Pansy and Parvati's, to explain to them what happened.</p><p> </p><p>A pensieve appeared before him and instead of retelling what he had scene, Draco brought his wand to his temple and transferred a copy of his memory of Lucius’ memory into it and beckoned everyone to use it one by one while he wrapped himself up in a blanket (curtsey of the RoR).</p><p> </p><p>Pansy got up and dragged Parvati with her towards the bowl after the two boys had finished their turn, since the pensieve was too small for all of them.</p><p> </p><p>"I feel like I shouldn't be here for this..." Parvati whispered into Pansy's ear, watching the rippling water apprehensively as she wondered about what awaited her.</p><p> </p><p>"It's fine," Pansy said after glancing at her blonde friend and back at her black haired one, "we can always obliviate you later." Parvati blinked a few times, ‘hmm’ed and put her pinky finger into the basin the same way Pansy did.</p><p> </p><p>Theo and Blaise briefly squabbled over what would describe what they had witnessed adequately, quite a weird thing to do in itself but normal for them when they felt awkward. </p><p> </p><p>"How would you describe the assault and incriminating speech we just witnessed?" After Theo failed to reply, "That's what I thought."</p><p> </p><p>Draco pursed his lips in annoyance and pulled them down onto the couch and wrote out the important parts of Dumbledore's speech on a table which had conveniently appeared.</p><p> </p><p>Pansy had just exited the pensieve and she was very unhappy, "Who the <em>f</em><em>uck</em> does that <em>old ass man</em> think he's calling a <em>slut</em>?!". Parvati nodded, "It's super weird that he's: 1. Insulting students and 2. calling <em>a child</em> a slut."</p><p> </p><p>Draco agreed but now was not the time to psychoanalyse that man's behaviour, "So what can we deduce from this?"</p><p> </p><p>Already used to the quick-fire way Theo and Draco spewed ideas, since they preferred to get their first impressions on paper then analyse it later, Pansy, who had already finished looking at the pensieve, took the paper and got ready to write everything down. Theo loved nothing more than bouncing ideas off Draco, he felt like it was one of the only times he could have fun and be productive at the same time.</p><p> </p><p>"They're all connected in some way." Draco gestured across the paper, "There has to be method to the madness or he risks different components nullifying each other."</p><p> </p><p>"Unless Quirrell been given specific instructions," Theo pointed out, he tilted his head upwards and mouthed some words while Blaise wrote down each theory. "Or specific hints?"</p><p> </p><p>"The thing in somewhere in the 3rd floor corridor and easy enough for Potter to get to, it's designed so that him and his weasel can get it-"</p><p> </p><p>"Don't forget the bucktoothed haired girl!"  Pansy remarked</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, but I don't recall seeing her with the pair any time they've interacted with us, although it is only the first day..."</p><p> </p><p>"Perhaps they haven't met yet, although think I'd notice someone with-" Theo cut himself off with a gasp "the bushy haired girl!"</p><p> </p><p>"Bushy-haired and buckteeth?" Parvati thought aloud, "That has got to be Hermione Granger. She's a total know-it-all so no one wants to be friends with her, we saw her in the library remember?" Parvati reminded Pansy.</p><p> </p><p>Pansy wrote as she spoke, "Oh! The girl who cried into a History book after <em>Millicent Bulstrode</em> of all people, didn't want to study with her." Pansy already disliked the girl, "Study! On the first day! We haven't even learnt anything yet!"</p><p> </p><p>"Dumbledore's plan is specifically tailored for three children to complete, so it won't just be hidden-" Theo began</p><p> </p><p>"-There has to be traps!" Draco and Theo exclaimed in unison.</p><p> </p><p>"The forbidden forest is too big an area for Dumbledore to control so anything there that'll be used must be important or very low risk."</p><p> </p><p>Theo snapped his fingers, a tell-tale sign that he'd thought of something, "Quirrell has Voldemort at the back of his head, meaning Voldemort is partially alive. Whatever it is must have something to do with that."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm sure Voldemort is using Quirrell as a host body so we need to look into what rituals can do that."</p><p> </p><p>"We'll have to get more information on the bushy haired girl too."</p><p> </p><p>"We don't even know what we're looking for, we need any and all books on resurrection artefacts."</p><p> </p><p>"I think it's a good idea to quickly check all the rooms in this corridor, look for anything obviously suspicious."</p><p> </p><p>Theo and Draco nodded to each other and made their way out the room, ignoring Blaise's call for them to be back before dinner. Only then did the girls remember about Blaise and gave him a little wave before drifting the paper towards him with a flick of Pansy's wand before starting to list everything they needed to do in order of priority on a new piece. Blaise felt like they were missing something... But ignored the feeling in favour of watching the other people left in the room.</p><p> </p><p>"Are they always like this?" The south Asian girl asked, a slight smile playing on her lips but her eyes betrayed her surprise and genuine intrigue as she watched Pansy efficiently draft a list and sat down in a chair next to dark skinned boy who was standing. Blaise sighed,</p><p> </p><p>"Every time they find a new mystery to solve," he shrugged and looked down at the paper he received from Pansy, "I think they think of it as a game rather than an actual situation for the adults to handle." although it seemed that the adults were either useless or evil.</p><p> </p><p>"I still can't get over the fact that Voldemort's alive, that literally changes everything. I'm kind of scared." Parvati was either a bad liar or didn't know her own emotions because her smile only grew the more she thought about it. Her first adventure with her new friends. </p><p> </p><p>Pansy side-eyed her and laughed while shaking her head, it was just her luck that she'd make friends with an adrenaline-junkie Gryffindor but honestly, what was she expecting?</p><p> </p><p>Blaise snorted at Parvati's words and wisely chose to suggest they help out with the search for the forbidden room, an idea Parvati jumped at and hauled a grumbling Pansy out.</p><p> </p><p>They heard him before they saw him, just down the hallway, Draco was hunched over practically howling with laughter as a confused Theo looked on with dismay certain he had said something stupid that triggered Draco’s reaction.</p><p> </p><p>The trio looked at Theo who shrugged his shoulders and told them that he had no idea why Draco was laughing, he sounded exasperated and confused. Draco took several deep breaths to compose himself enough to tell everyone that Theo had found a large 3-headed dog in the room beside them and had called it a '<em>minor inconvenience</em>' and when Draco asked about it, Theo referred to the dog itself as a '<em>puppy</em>' only for Draco to open the door to see that beast that looked like it was from the gates of hell. Easily able to devour each and every one here in a few bites, sleeping atop a trapdoor.</p><p> </p><p>Pansy pinched her nose to stop herself from snorting while Blaise let out the first snigger that opened the flood gates and Parvati was almost brought to her knees holding her sides shrieking. Theo smiled, glad to see everyone so happy even at his own expense after the startling thing they had all witnessed through the eyes of Draco.</p><p> </p><p>They made their way to the Great Hall for Dinner, since Draco slept through lunch and the rest of them were fretting over his expulsion (in vain) the whole time so, they were all quite hungry. </p><p> </p><p>Pansy, Blaise and Theo walked over to the Slytherin table, scanning the teacher's table for someone they didn't recognise or didn't fit the descriptions their parents had told them, while Parvati and Draco smiled as Neville waved them over to Gryffindor where he had turned in his chair to talk animatedly with a boy at the Ravenclaw table with mousy brown hair and dark but kind eyes who was looked absolutely enraptured by whatever Neville was talking about.</p><p> </p><p>Students from all houses stared at Draco and began whispering but he ignored.</p><p> </p><p>"Hi guys! This is Terry, Terry, meet Draco and Parvati." Neville introduced them as soon as the pair were settled at the table.</p><p> </p><p>Terry didn't have a very thick Irish accent, though there were some undertones, but the way he spoke revealed that he was not used to English grammar meaning it was not his first language. Plus, for someone so young, he was quite tall! Even sitting, Draco had to crane his neck to meet his eyes. Once introductions were finished, Parvati turned back to their table and pointed a empty seat next to Professor McGonagall out to Draco who nodded and scanned the rest of the hall while Parvati simply stared at the back of Pansy's head until she turned round and pointed to the chair.</p><p> </p><p>Just as Draco was about to ask Neville if he knew where the mysterious teacher was, a fairly tall man with a purple turban and blue eyes slammed the hall doors open to utter </p><p> </p><p>"Troll-" he flailed his hands "-in the-" more flailing accompanied by panting this time "-dungeons. Thought you ought to know" and promptly passed out. </p><p> </p><p>Some students shot looks at Draco and Slytherin this time, but still, he ignored them while older Slytherins snarled. Across the hall, Parvati identified Pansy's voice and laughed at what the black-haired girl said, "I know they don't think we somehow smuggled an OGRE into a SCHOOL, right? If anything, Ravenclaws are the smart ones! Glare at them!", an unknown voice from Ravenclaw answered Pansy, "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an accusation." and she replied "You're smart, <em>figure it out</em>.".</p><p> </p><p>Draco looked inquisitively at the unconscious man and Neville lightly berated him  for not listening to Dumbledore's speech as if he had, he'd know that the man was Professor Quirrell, the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. Draco was not impressed. 'What a frail man. I guess Voldemort didn't get to pick his host.' he thought, amused.</p><p> </p><p>"Speak of the devil..." Parvati muttered, linking her and the platinum blond boy's arms together (who linked his arm with Neville who didn't have enough time to attach to Terry) before trying to evacuate the hall as fast as she could. Sure, she loved a good adventure but she'd heard her sister's tales of 12 feet high, aggressive beasts who loved to eat humans for a 'light snack' and it simply wasn't her cup of tea. Unfortunately for her, a 4'7 girl with almost sickly pale skin and the same shade of blonde hair as Draco's glided over to the other blond and in a light, breathy voice told Draco that someone from his house was crying in the bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>"Luna, the troll is in the dungeon. I don't think the bathroom is anywhere near the dungeon, whoever it is will be perfectly fine." Draco tried to assure her, beckoning Pansy, Theo and Blaise in tow, towards him with his head.</p><p> </p><p>"But Caleo told me the troll was in the bathroom." Luna replied, furrowing her eyebrows. Draco sighed, the Caleo was mischievous but they never lied. He removed his arm from Parvati and released his grip on Neville.</p><p> </p><p>Theo scratched the back of his neck.</p><p> </p><p>"But do we need to save them?" At the appealed look on everyone's face, he thought it wise to elaborate "This is a school so surely they can't be<em> terribly</em> hurt, right?"</p><p> </p><p>Though they all understood his logic, Voldemort was on the back of a teacher's head and the headmaster tortured people in his office. </p><p> </p><p>The student was definitely in peril. </p><p> </p><p>Blaise and Theo decided to stay back so they can alert a teacher if the rest of them don't come back in a few minutes, Draco told Neville to go with them since he knew the dirty-blond boy was not prepared to face a troll that day and also because he thought Neville and Theo would get along quite well. An unwilling Parvati, a frustrated Draco, a normal (by her own standards) Luna and a bored Pansy ran to the bathrooms. </p><p> </p><p>Neville fiddled with his fingers, walking behind the boys in green, fretting. He had never been good at social situations and it seemed that the two were too focused on finding somewhere to hide than to dispel the awkward silence.</p><p> </p><p>"So-" Neville began, after summoning courage from the depths of his soul. However, he was shhh'ed by Theo who was consequently smacked upside the head by his companion who hissed at him to be nice. Neville wanted to cry.</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry about him, he's not very good with new people." Blaise explained while Theo looked away, a faint blush making its way up his neck.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh! That's alright!" Neville replied, assured that he wasn't being annoying, "Last time I met someone new, I stared at him in silence before I started talking about herbology because I was nervous." He laughed, "It was lucky that he liked that subject too."</p><p> </p><p>Theo smiled at the story and responded with one of his own, "I haven't even met Parvati - officially - yet because every time I speak to people I don't know, I get tongue-tied and get distracted!" </p><p> </p><p>Blaise listened as the two became fast friends, he'd never admit it, but he was worried that Theo would never come out of his shell and had been ready to stick Parvati and his anti-social friend in a room together until they had a conversation. Luckily, Theo had found someone to relate to so no drastic measures would need to be taken.... As of yet.</p><p> </p><p>"Who was that girl back there?" Neville asked, "The blonde one. And who is Caleo"</p><p> </p><p>Blaise answered him, informing him that her name is Luna Lovegood. She was supposed to be a year beneath them but somehow, she had come to Hogwarts this year to the surprise of everyone but Draco apparently. Draco and Luna were distantly related and (against Lucius' wishes) stayed in contact throughout childhood but she had never been formally introduced to Blaise or Theo, only mentioned in passing. Luna had some kind of gift of sight, giving her the ability to see creatures no one else could see such as Nargles and Wrackspurts. Blaise couldn't explain the creatures themselves because no matter how many times it was explained, he couldn't wrap his head around things he couldn't see.</p><p> </p><p>The Caleo question was answered by Theo. Caleo was a grey-ish, blue kneazle that Luna's father allowed Luna to have after her mother passed away, although Caleo was blue in colour, their name meant Flame because they were quite territorial and had a temper. Quite the opposite of their owner. Caleo was apparently a special type of Kneazle, and could speak to their owner which was why Luna knew the troll's whereabouts. Theo didn't know why Draco trusted that Luna could in fact communicate with her cat but he didn't find it necessary to question so he just took Draco's word for it.</p><p> </p><p>Neville nodded as he absorbed the information, part of the picture becoming clear to him. He did not yet know about the Lucius and Dumbledore interaction or Dumbledore's plans for Harry Potter since the group had been careful not to talk about that information in public and the great hall was probably the least private place in that school.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you think they'll be alright?" Neville asked Blaise nervously, referring to the quartet of 11 year olds who had gone to save someone's life and defeat a troll.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise beamed, "Of course they will!"</p><p> </p><p>They were not alright.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello again! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter! It was quite fun to write and I attempted a POV switch, I added more dialogue summaries to balance how dialogue heavy it normally is. </p><p>I know its quite odd that no one really asks questions but my answer to that is that everyone doesn't really care if it's not an immediate problem or solution and when they do ask questions it's because they have time to. I realised that I forgot Dumbles introduced Quirrell in his speech so I'm relying on child-like behaviour to ignore boring things.</p><p>Lots of characters so I might split them into groups more often like I did here especially since I'll be adding more as the book progresses but that will be easier when classes stat on the second day. Weasley Twins will be making an appearance soon too. </p><p>No Ron or Harry again but I swear more slander is coming! Btw, its an even split on the Google Form (chapter 1 notes) for redemptions so i'll do my best to appease both parties. Perhaps Caleo will have something to do with that... </p><p>Opinions on Luna and Terry (Inter-house unity pending...)? What Hufflepuffs should I add? General feedback?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. “...doesn’t mean we can just let her die.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Trolls<br/>Hermione<br/>Harry and Ron<br/>Cedric, Hannah</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a>
  <br/>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">Pansy Parkinson was not having a good time. Sure, she had found the troll and the student, but she had also grossly underestimated the stench and sheer size of the monster. Every time it opened its mouth, revealing it's rotting teeth and yellow tongue, Pansy could've sworn she lost a year of her life due to disgust. Not only was it tall, but it was also wide</span> <span class="x_s2">. At least 6 of her could fit horizontally in its stomach and she didn't doubt that it would not pass up the chance to swallow her whole.</span></p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">'Damn Draco and his</span> <em>morals</em><span class="x_s2">' she thought bitterly, planning to punish Draco for not coming in with her since he knew all the efficient offence spells. He had refused to follow Pansy into the girl’s bathroom saying 'I'm not allowed. Need I remind you; I am in fact <em>male</em>. I'm sure you can take care of it yourself.' Smiling as if he hadn't sent his best friend directly into the belly of the beast.</span></p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">So, Draco was waiting outside with Luna who had seen her kneazle and stayed in the hallway petting the feline in case Caleo decided they had more to say.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Pansy had gone in before Parvati who was still not enthused by the imminent threat of being Troll lunch. The first thing she saw was the troll, a fairly hard thing to miss, and the second was a cowering girl curled up on the floor, brown eyes frantically searching for an exit looking through frizzy hair and downright refusing to look at the roaring mass in front of her. </span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Hermione Granger.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">"Theo was right, we should just let her deal with it herself." Pansy glared at the quivering girl on the opposite side of the room, addressing Parvati but maintaining eye contact with Granger who flinched.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">"You don't mean that!" The girl replied, lightly hitting Pansy's shoulder with the back of her hand before stepping towards the exit, "Just 'cos no one likes her, doesn't mean we can just let her </span><em><span class="x_s3">die</span> </em> <span class="x_s2">."</span></p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">She was about to respond with a 'We? you're literally walking towards the exit! I’m not doing all the work!' But it seemed the troll had grown tired of listening to the girls talk and lunged at Granger who let out a piercing shriek. Pansy lazily cast a protego that shielded the brunette for a few moments and turned to face the troll.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">"</span><em><span class="x_s3">Excuse</span> </em> <span class="x_s2"> you!" She shouted, pointing her finger at it "I wasn't finished speaking!" The 12-foot beast grunted and swung its club, a poorly shaped tree trunk almost half the troll's size, down on the Slytherin who huffed and dodged, hoping the Gryffindor would be smart enough to get to cover too.</span></p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">The club hit a pipe above the door, spraying murky water all over the floor and the Troll itself. Parvati crouched and ran over to Granger, grabbing her by the forearm and trying to pull her out of the foetal position she had curled into, but the brunette started screaming bloody murder. </span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">"I mean this in the nicest way possible," Parvati took Granger's hands in hers, "<em>Shut the hell up.</em>" </span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Now Granger was listening, so she continued,</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">"If that troll comes after us and ignores Pansy, we're done for." she tried to reason, "She's the only one who knows enough spells to save us right now."</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Hermione squeezed Parvati's hands painfully, looking both scared and angry before looking down at her lap and mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like, 'This was not how it was supposed to go.'</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Parvati physically recoiled and stumbled standing up.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">"What did you say?" She questioned, hands shaking. She received no response. Just the sounds of Pansy repeatedly hitting the murderous creature with spells meant to petrify, stun, and tie up. "I want to know if I heard you wrong. </span><em> <span class="x_s3">What did you say, Granger?</span></em> <span class="x_s2">"</span></p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">Outside of the bathroom, Draco and Luna had found a little bit of trouble. Hogwarts' golden boy and his lapdog had come rushing down to the bathrooms, took one look at Draco and started accusing him of setting a beast loose in the school. That in itself wasn't a problem, Draco was used to that, argued back his point and it obviously didn't bother him but when Ronald Billius Weasley called Caleo a 'glorified house cat who was just as bad as <em>He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named</em></span> <span class="x_s2">' for not hating Draco, did the real drama start. </span></p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">You see, Luna Lovegood was quite a passive person. Kept to herself and her creatures, mostly lost in fanatical worlds in her imagination and quite the teacher's pet but one thing would always set her off, attacking her friends - physically, verbally, emotionally. Human, creature, imaginary. It didn't matter - she had been bullied at a muggle primary school, then a certain Kneazle saved her when the kids were throwing <em>stones</em> at her so she begged her father to let her keep it and so Caleo became the saviour and centre of her world. Her first and closest friend. She'd be damned if she let some entitled boy who knew <em>nothing</em> about Caleo compare them to <em>The Dark Lord</em> with no consequences.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Luna brushed of dust from her skirt as she stood and whipped her wand out, making the ginger brat flinch, used it to tie up her hair and put her fists up as she assumed a fighting stance. It wasn’t like she was totally defenceless in that school; no wizarding parent sends their only daughter into a public space without some kind of protection! So, she had learnt the basics of self-defence and dirty-fighting, and her skills had only grown throughout the years.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">Draco had decided that 2-on-1 was a bit unfair, so he stuck Potter to the ground while he leaned against a wall and watched Weasley </span> <span class="x_s3">unsuccessfully </span> <span class="x_s2">attempt to use his years of experience in a house full of boys to take down a fellow student. Face already red from exhaustion, unfortunately for him, he was only good at defending himself. Luna, however, was relentless in her onslaught of punches and attacks in general therefore his stamina depleted quickly. </span></p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Mid-fight, Theo, Blaise, and Neville had made an appearance. Bringing with them other <em>children</em> instead of <em>teachers</em> who completely bypassed the second youngest Weasley to ask where the troll was, though they quickly figured it out after the unmistakable sound of Pansy shouting at something followed by a loud crash and a pipe bursting somewhere in the room.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Draco covered his face with his hands and counted to 10 mentally.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">"She's... She's not shouting at- at the<em> troll</em>, right?" Hannah Abbot, a first year Hufflepuff asked. Partly curious, partly in disbelief.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">"'Course she is!" Fred called out jollily, leaning his elbow on his twin's shoulder.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">"Everyone knows the best way to control a Troll is to act like it's mother!" George nodded, smiling.</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">Another crash but this time accompanied by Parvati's voice then another crash.</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">"I don't think it's working very well..."  Neville responded, fiddling with his fingers.</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Draco looked at the people his friends had brought them. the twins and 2 Hufflepuffs. Nobody above 3rd year; therefore nobody of help.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">"Where are the teachers?" Draco asked resigned, already connecting the dots.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">"So, what had happened was-" Blaise started and apparently everyone thought that was their cue to open their mouths since all Draco heard was loud noises of nothing intelligible. 7 people made enough noise to cover the sounds of destruction coming from the bathroom just a few feet from them. Draco's patience was wearing thin, it had been less than a day and he had had enough emotional distress to last him a lifetime. He did not sign up for this.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Abruptly, a battle cry resounded from said bathroom through all of their ears. Potter stopped struggling, Luna relaxed chokehold she had weasel in, Draco stood up straight and the rest stopped talking. Everyone was tense, whether they knew it or not, they were a shriek of pain away from storming in and taking on the creature by themselves, which was their purpose in the first place but they'd apparently forgotten.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">A sickening squelch and a short-lived kerfuffle then, out of the depths of that godforsaken bathroom, emerged an enraged Pansy covered in slime, muck and other unknown substances with a stony expression. Robes ruined, greasy hair and no one wanted to know what thick liquid was pooled at her feet.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Draco smacked his hand over his mouth, snickered a little, composed himself and lowered it before looking at his friend and doing it again, snickering a little more. That went on a couple times before he gave up and just kept his hand over his mouth as he muffled his laughter. Tension draining from his body seeing that she and Parvati weren't severely injured like the noises beforehand suggested. Pansy was only bleeding from a few scrapes on her arms and a gash on her forehead while Parvati was more or less unscathed. Surface level evidence wasn't enough for the older Hufflepuff amongst them, Cedric hurriedly checked over them with his wand, casting diagnostic charms and healing spells in quick succession and cleaning charms before apologising for not being able to mend the tears in their robes.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Parvati looked vaguely uncomfortable at the boy waving his wand at her, since she didn't know what any of the spells did until she felt a cut on her ankle heal over and the muck on her robes disappear. Pansy took it in stride, already coming to the conclusion that this was one of the people brought to help them out. It was fairly obvious that Neville was the one to get 'teachers' for them. Blaise would've gone to get a 6th year from either Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Though, now that she thought about it, Theo would've gotten the first person he saw, 'I guess Neville got more confident.' Pansy thought to herself, she was quite surprised to see Fred and George there, however, as had expected Teddy Boot or even Padma (Parvati's sister) to be the easier option.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">The Weasley Twins raised their eyebrows in amusement, watching Blaise whack Draco upside the head to get him to stop laughing while he himself could not get through even a sentence of his scolding without giggling. When Neville had seen them sneaking around, trying to get a glimpse of the troll, they hadn’t expected to be recruited for a ‘rescue mission’. It was unexpected but certainly a welcomed invitation since it gave them the opportunity to see the troll but also observe the Slytherins some more.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Everyone else was occupied looking at the literal bloody head levitated by Pansy's head. Grey, dirty skin. Thin, dry lips. Lifeless, rolled-back eyes. Worst of all, a clean edged cut to its thick throat which dripped a thick coloured liquid that must've been troll blood all over the floor that was also responsible for the vomit-inducing smell that perfectly complimented the disturbing sight.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">The girl threw the head into the midst of the congregation where it contacted Hannah's foot, making the girl shriek as her face lost most (if not all) of its colour. The older one, Cedric Diggory, acted quickly. Leading her to Caleo in hopes that she wouldn't faint if she was busy playing with an animal. The kneazle in question stretched and got up from their curled-up position to jump and situate themself in the pale girl's arms, soothing her for the time being.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Unfortunately, Neville did not have a strong stomach and instead of going pale, his face took on a greenish tinge as he excused himself into the boy's bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach, while Draco cast bubble-head charms on everyone present.</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Parvati cleared her throat obnoxiously, no one had actually acknowledged her presence after Cedric's spellwork since both she and Pansy had walked through the door at practically the same time and while she understood a massive troll head in an 11-year-old's hands was a bit of a shock, surely, she deserved some shock since she was dragging someone by their hair!</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">With all eyes on her, she pushed Granger into the middle of the arc that was subconsciously made from everyone avoiding contact with the nasty head. Hermione stumbled with a hand on her scalp, eyes trained on Parvati in fear. Cedric was preoccupied wondering how he hadn't noticed the third girl emerge from the bathroom, especially when she was attached to another person.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">George rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm just going to ask the question everyone's thinking." Fred nodded, standing beside his twin, "Who’s the girl choking my brother?"  He was talking about Luna, she wasn't applying any pressure since she had been too distracted to remember to release her victim, so she did and joined Hannah and Caleo somewhere further down the corridor. </span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Fred looked at him with a deadpan expression and flicked his forehead, ignoring George's 'ouch', "He means. What went down in that bathroom?"</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">“Well,” Parvati began with a flourish, standing tall next to Granger who’d finally gathered her Gryffindor “courage” and folded her arms only to frown at the ceiling instead of meeting anyone’s eyes. “While you lot were goofing around, gathering no one of use.”</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Several sounds of offence were cut short at Parvati’s glare.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">“Miss Granger, told me all about the little plan she and </span>
  <em>
    <span class="x_s3">Dumbledore </span>
  </em>
  <span class="x_s2">made for The-Boy-Who-Lived and his friend.” She stated it concisely and politely, but nothing could hide the fury in her eyes</span>
</p><p class="x_p2"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Pansy saw fit to elaborate a little bit, although it seemed quite a few of them had connected the dots already.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">“Albus wanted Potter, Weasel and Granger to be friends but obviously, with Granger’s attitude, that didn’t happen. So-“</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">“- He got a troll, released it and asked Granger to stay down here while he told those two to go find her.” Blaise finished; eyes wide.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">Parvati nodded.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2">
  <span class="x_s2">“Sacrificed the safety of this entire school for one person.” She said, looking into Granger’s soul with judgemental eyes.</span>
</p><p class="x_p1"> </p><p class="x_p2"><span class="x_s2">Potter tried to argue and say the girls were lying but Hermione’s guilty expression stopped him mid exclamation. Still in denial, Harry switched tactics and tried convincing everyone that there was more to it than that- that there just had to</span> <span class="x_s2"> be a reasonable explanation for everything. Cedric agreed with that. Dumbledore was supposed to be a hero, someone they could all look up to and strive to be like. It didn’t make sense for his to endanger </span><em><span class="x_s3">children</span></em><span class="x_s2"> he was meant to </span><span class="x_s3"><em>protect</em>.</span></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>HI! I'm not completely happy with this chapter so I will be editing it sometime this week but don't worry, it'll be minor language changes and the base events stay the same.</p><p>I know there are some more inconsistencies but i'm going to hide behind the fact that they've only known each other for less than a full day so there are still levels of their character to be revealed. </p><p>Next chapter will focus on Quirrell, classes and a little bit of discord in Slytherin.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. “Are you my new father?”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a>
  <br/>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Something was quite <em>odd </em>to Draco, and he said as much. They already knew Quirrell had The Dark Lord on the back of his head and that Dumbledore himself was aware of this, but it simply didn't make sense for him to hire a DADA teacher that didn't actually know how to do his job, especially since said teacher <em>entire purpose </em>was to attempt to take a secret artefact from the school. Did it?</p>
<p></p><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric shot concerned looks at the twins who just shrugged and pretended to understand what Draco had said since they hadn’t been given a rundown, pensieve or even just vague context. But Hannah was not letting the 'Dark Lord on the back of his head' comment go, she had merely come along because Cedric was going, and he was her only friend and (as is a common theme with everyone involved with the Slytherins) she hadn't expected this at all! Although, to be fair, you can never fully prepare yourself for a troll attack, finding out your head teacher could be a criminal nor accepting the fact that your classmates can defeat trolls.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Unfortunately, the first time she interjected, she was too quiet, and no one heard her so Pansy accidentally spoke over her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"He must be really pathetic, huh."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"<em>Faints </em>at a Troll," Parvati mentions "as a DADA teacher."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Luna turned to face Parvati and smiles, "A troll meant to be defeated by 2 first years."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Caleo meowed in agreement as they stretched, walking down the hallway before seemingly disappearing into a wall that was obviously a secret tunnel specifically made for kneazles.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The young Hufflepuff tried once more to get an answer but the moment she opened her mouth, a horde of teachers with wands at the ready stormed down the hallway noisily arguing over ways to subdue the troll.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>One even suggested a <em>surprise attack </em>as if the orchestra of marching would go unnoticed by the being.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Professor McGonagall, the leader of the squadron, saw the kids first and her eyes grew comically wide when she saw the troll head she then went on to stop dead in her tracks causing those behind her to crash into each other. Professor Snape was next to see the children and the skull but simply shook his head in exasperation before sliding past McGonagall and levitating the body part above his fellow teachers’ heads.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The bob-haired girl, Pansy, flipped Draco off and hissed at him for wasting their precious escape time to speculate on things they could deal with later ‘we’re already costing Slytherin points!’ Draco rolled his eyes and suggested <em>obliviating</em> them and leaving Potter and Weasley there to take the fall (‘Obviously not you two!’ He rolled his eyes at the Twins' hurt expression)- an idea Cedric was avidly against and it worried him that they spoke about mind manipulation so casually.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Snape distracted the teachers for a few minutes by casting random spells at the decapitated part while mouthing 'shoo' at the group of students, Pansy saluted him with a grateful smile.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Draco unstuck Potter and began dragging him away while Blaise fired silencing charms at everyone's feet and Ron's mouth (just in case he got any stupid ideas). Luna had disappeared just like Caleo, and Draco took a mental note to remember to catch up with her later.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Parvati was busy thinking of where they could go so they could talk- all the common rooms were out of the question, there was one of every house amongst them. She didn't know if Blaise wanted anyone else knowing about the Room of Requirement. They weren't supposed to be in the Great Hall... Which left...... The kitchens!</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Parvati's twin sister, Padma, had found out everything there was to know about Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff before they came to this school so she'd know what to expect depending on what house she was sorted in so it was no surprise to Parvati when Padma found out the secret location of the kitchens after researching the Hufflepuff common room. Parvati quickly took the lead and led them towards the Badger house then stopped in front of a large portrait and racking her brain trying to remember how to get in.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You tickle the pear..." A small voice practically whispered.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Right! Thank you-" Parvati whirled round and stared expectantly at the girl in the yellow uniform.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Abbot...Hannah Abbot."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric nudged Hannah with a beam on his face. He'd told her the answer so she could finally have a Segway into starting a conversation with other students her age.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The portrait opened and a stream of busy elves turned in unison to stare at the intruders. An awkward silence lasted a few seconds, but Cedric waved and the elves let out a loud happy noise between a cheer and gasp of wonder, a few led the group to a round, oak table where they sat down while the elves - Weeny, Miry and Floppy - asked them what they wanted to eat before hurrying off to make the food and drink.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"So..." Fred began</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>George glanced around the table, "Anyone want to explain what's been going on?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ehm..." Draco scratched behind his ear, "Where would I even begin?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Hannah piped up, "Um, maybe from the Dark Lord part?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric gave her a thumbs up from underneath the table.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ok. Everyone listen well because I will only say this once and it's a lot to take in." Blaise took a deep breath, "Our Headmaster, Dumbledore, has hired a teacher with The Dark Lord on the back of his head, Professor Quirrell, who wants to steal something from the school which we think is supposed to resurrect Voldemort. Because Harry Potter defeated The Dark Lord once as a BABY, he wants him and co to intercept and stop Quirrell. We know this from a very reliable source."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I personally think Dumbledore is trying to get Potter on his side to give him more power and status which is why he needed to try and get Potter some popularity by having him defeat the troll." Theo added, "Granger's job was to become friends with him, probably for a support system and she's supposedly smart so that certainly helps."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We aren't certain about what artefact Quirrell is supposed to steal but it isn't guarded very well since Potter and probably Weasley and Granger are to get there first. So the traps won't be deadly, or very complicated." Pansy concluded.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Fred thought they were joking and looked at George who seemed to be taking them seriously before chuckling until he realised none of them were laughing with him. Hannah wished that she hadn't asked her question, how was she supposed to go to class acting like there wasn't a mad man on the back of her teacher's skull who wanted her <em>dead</em>.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Now that Parvati really thought about it. It'd been an eventful day. At least she doesn't have to worry about making friends though, which led to a new problem.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Guys, what are we going to do about them?" She pointed to the trio of Gryffindors, one of which was silently shouting trying to get Blaise to remove his silencing spell.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Obliviate them." Blaise, Theo, Draco, and Pansy said in monotone unison.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Hermione paled; Harry started to protest but Cedric was louder than them.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No, no, no, no, NO!" He stood up from his chair and leant forward with his hands on the table. "You're all just children, I can't let you do that! Plus, it's illegal!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Pansy tried to hold in her laugh, "Who said we weren't going to obliviate you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric looked so shocked; Blaise just had to laugh.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I have to agree with Cedric, that's a dangerous spell. What if you mess up? You'll mess up their minds for good and you won't be able to live with yourself." Neville added, playing with the sleeves of his robe nervously. He really hated mind magic after what happened to his parents but knew that his friends weren't evil, nevertheles, he felt that it was his duty to dissuade them from their idea.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We appreciate the sentiment," Draco said genuinely "but I think it's better for them this way."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He went on to explain that if they remembered this, they'd begin to distrust adults which would be very suspicious to Dumbledore and probably put them in danger. He didn't mention how deranged Dumbledore looked torturing his father nor how bad he felt for Potter - an orphan who was already being used by adults he trusted.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Shut up, Malfoy. I'm not that gullible," Harry folded his arms, frowning "You Slytherins are always lying."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Draco just raised his eyebrows, looked at Neville and Cedric as he gestured at Harry. As if to say 'See!! Obliviating them is the easiest solution.', when neither conceded, he rolled his eyes and looked towards the smarter one of the Gryffindor trio, although that was a fact yet to be confirmed since she thought risking her life to make friends was a good idea.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She straightened in her chair and spoke very matter-of-factly which already grated on Draco's nerves, "If Dumbledore is planning what you say he is. Then I'm going to follow his lead." She stared defiantly at Draco who pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sure he's competent, he is a head teacher."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>It was reasonable thinking but that didn't mean Draco wasn't annoyed by it. Hoping against all hope that the ginger would have a shred of sense left in his brain, he looked towards Ronald and Blaise released his spell.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ron cleared his throat but sat silently for a moment afterwards before asking, "Why should we believe you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Again, very reasonable. But Draco was not in the mood for explaining anything, perhaps in the future - the very, <em>very </em>distant future - he'd care enough to make them believe him, but it was highly unlikely.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Weigh out the pros and cons. We have nothing to gain from lying, especially when you'd find out if we lied." Draco shrugged.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>More silence. Blaise was getting bored of this conversation already; the novelty had worn off and it was getting quite late in the evening.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I should probably mention that we're not letting you leave without an unbreakable vow." Blaise leaned backwards and put his hands behind his head in mock casualness. Pansy pointed at him in agreement, "If you don't let us obliviate you."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Hermione jerked towards the door just to find out that she was bound to the chair, Harry and Ron tried as well and discovered the same thing. They turned towards various members at the table in search of help. George just shrugged his shoulders and went back to whispering with Fred, Cedric was staring at Draco and Hannah was minding her business.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Pansy pouted, "Oh don't be like that, it's not even that bad! We'll release the vow once we know we can trust you." She smiled</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Probably." Blaise coughed.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div><p>Pansy continued, "There's no undoing the memory one, though."</p>
<p></p></div><div>
  <p>Parvati grinned, "So who's going first?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Fred wanted to, he'd tried to do one on Ron when Ron was 5 but his dad stopped him and since then, he'd been very curious about it. But Parvati waved him off since no one would believe him if he told anyone anyway. Since no one else offered themselves up, Parvati 'randomly picked' Hermione.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Draco released her from her binds and Parvati firmly grasped her arm before she could run away, she had never done one before, but she could remember most of how it worked from Lucius' memory. Draco stood by them as the witness while Blaise and Pansy threatened to hex Granger if she didn't go through with it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Do you, Hermione Granger, promise to not utter even a word of what happened today to anyone who was not in this room?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"...I do."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And promise to not purposefully let anyone know about what happened today through any means?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>".... I... I do."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>There went all Hermione's ideas. There were still large loopholes in the first clause but the second one limited her options to chance; she couldn't even talk to Ron or Harry hoping someone would overhear or she'd die. However, Hermione was sure that she wouldn't need to tell anyone, anyway, because Albus Dumbledore was a <em>good</em> man who'd <em>never</em> do what the snakes described.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Parvati threw in the extra clause for good measure, a good thing too, if Hermione was smart, she'd easily find a way to reveal everything with only the first one. But there was still a problem they'd have to deal with later, Dumbledore was known for his legillimency skills and if the trio's minds were invaded, there would be nothing Parvati could do. It'd be unfair to attach their lives to something they can't control, and Parvati knew she could purely hope it wouldn't happen.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She then repeated it for the other 2 boys and sent the trio away. Cedric looked at Parvati, Pansy, Draco, Blaise and Theo in dismay.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>As soon as the first year Gryffindors had left, Blaise let out a sigh of relief. He'd been thinking on the spot about how to ensure their cooperation and only planned on scaring them a bit, but Parvati was already on board and Draco had tied them to chairs! He'd even threatened to hex them! 'I'm going to jail.... Or Hell... Maybe both.' He thought miserably slumping in his chair.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Right... Well, I think we'll release them after, like, a week?" Theo proposed "By then we should be fine."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Blaise sat up in his chair and Parvati asked him if he actually thought she wanted to be arrested for homicide. Draco smiled and told them that they were giving Slytherin a bad name 'We've corrupted one of their own.', Pansy retaliated saying</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"They already thought we'd feed them to <em>Pythons</em>. It was written all over their faces, they thought they were gonna die." She scoffed, "Imagine being that prejudiced. We hadn't even hurt Granger"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric was processing lots of information at once, but he had one question that he already knew the answer to.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Is this a result of trauma?" Cedric asked, taking Pansy's hands in his and staring down into Theo's eyes imploringly. "All these drastic measures? They certainly didn't come naturally."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>This was quite uncomfortable for both of them, he wasn't supposed to actually care about their wellbeing. 'That's what I get for letting Neville choose a Hufflepuff' Theo thought dejectedly.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Draco was taken aback, "What an... <em>Odd</em> question..." This only reinforced Cedric's ideas and Draco could practically see a plan forming in his mind.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I don't think so?" Pansy said, unsure of what the right answer was. Cedric had drawn his own conclusions and she didn't know what to make of this behaviour. "We all lived in nice homes."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay but was the <em>atmosphere </em>nice, caring, or loving?" Cedric expanded further at their confused faces, "Did your parents take care of you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>At the mention of parents, Neville's lips pulled downwards, and Pansy had a dark look on her face as she pulled herself out of Cedric's grasp. Theo just stood there completely expressionless. These were clear signals that the conversation was over and they didn't want to talk about it but the Hufflepuff wasn't going to leave it there.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Well, that settles it." He stated. "I'm going to take care of you."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Neville glanced at Hannah, who glanced back and shrugged, and started drinking the hot chocolate the elves had brought out. Hannah was very good at reading people, she simply had to spend a few minutes with them to figure out their values and personality, so she knew how sympathetic Cedric was and expected that he'd make that sort of declaration at some point since he'd adopted her as his little sister after seeing her alone.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Blaise sucked in a breath and started giggling.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I can't-" gasp, "-I can't believe you just-" wheeze "-you just said that OUT LOUD."</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Parvati joined in, "Are you my new father?" she said between laughs.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric put his hands on his hips, "Yes, yes I am." Completely serious.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Mate, that's a bit weird." George said amused.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"A bit shady, if we're honest." Fred nodded.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric thought about it for a moment and agreed with them, "I'm their older brother then!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Neville-" more giggling, "-how did you even find this guy?" Parvati asked, it was a rhetorical question, but he tried to answer anyway as his face got redder from second-hand embarrassment.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cedric cracked a smile; he wasn't joking but it felt nice making everyone happy.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><p>They finished their hot chocolate and toast before separating to go to their various houses. Draco opted to sleep in Ravenclaw so he could hang out with Luna and fill her in on their plans but told everyone that they'd talk more in the Great Hall at breakfast and started solidifying and acting on their ideas once they had received and compared timetables</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, I know I said I'd talk about Quirrell but it just wasn't at that point yet, so bare with me lol. </p><p>I did try to add some depth to Hannah's character and I PROMISE i'll write about Quirrell! maybe even the POV of Harry, Ron or Hermione??? I am also aware that you need a witness for Unbreakable Vows which is a problem since Lucius and Dumbledore were the only ones in the room when they made theirs so I am choosing to ignore that fact.</p><p>Cedric has adopted the first years, Fred and George are in for the time of their lives and Hannah just wants good company.<br/>Harry is questioning a couple of things, Ron feels betrayed and Hermione is still looking for loopholes that may or may not exist.<br/>Snape is trying his best to make Professor McGonagall think she imagined the group of kids and that he already killed the Troll. He is failing miserably.</p><p>Now I'm starting on writing out timetables which will be mentioned in Chapter 2 and i'll leave a link of everyone's in the notes with the Plot Ideas google form that I'm updating :) </p><p>Thank you for reading! Tell me what you thought about the chapter and about any grammar/spelling mistakes!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. “HANNAH MARIE ABBOTT!”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Links:<br/><a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a><br/><a href="https://1drv.ms/x/s!AuFsL-vHI_RdgSUFBdyThTT_pvPo?e=BVHTwJ"> Timetables!
 </a></p><p>For the timetables, the colours show what house Draco is in each period<br/>I couldn't think of any Ravenclaw and Slytherin 3rd years so I only have Fred and Cedric</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Draco had entered the Ravenclaw common room, it was quite late at night. The moon was high in the sky and Draco assumed it was just past 9:30, the blonde had spent an infuriatingly long time at the door because the eagle door knocker simply refused to take his answers.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I go at red and stop at green."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"A colour-blind person driving?"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"People buy me to eat, but never eat me."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Something 'too pretty to eat'?"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"What can be touched but can't be seen?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Oxygen? Nitrogen? Carbon dioxide? Carbon monoxide?"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I can-"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Oh <em>for God's sake</em>, JUST LET ME IN!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I disappear-"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"OH YOU LITTLE-"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Next followed a string of words sailors would be proud of. But the knocker continued to ask riddles and Draco kept answering but the door never opened so he tried to appeal with the knocker.</p><p> </p><p>" Look, I have had a rough day. Please, <em>please</em>! I'm literally<em> begging</em> you right now, let me in."</p><p> </p><p>It sounded like he was on the verge of tears and one more riddle away from blowing the door up and letting himself inside, when God had mercy on him and sent one Terry Boot - who was coming back from exploring the school - to help him answer the riddles.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"People buy me to eat, but never eat me."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Well that's an easy one! Cutlery."</p><p> </p><p>The door swung open.</p><p> </p><p>"<em>What</em>?! I answered 'food too pretty to eat' and it didn't let me in!"</p><p> </p><p>"You're thinking about it too literally, try thinking outside of the box."</p><p> </p><p>"That makes no sense, my answer was just as acceptable as yours."</p><p> </p><p>Terry shrugged “Well there was only one right answer."</p><p> </p><p>Then strolled inside leaving an irrationally angry Draco to storm in after him, glaring at the door the whole time. Luckily, for the door, Luna was sat on a couch with Caleo reading by the fire so Draco decided to exact revenge later.</p><p> </p><p>"There you are, Draco," she beckoned him over, "I was expecting you here quite a while ago. Did the door cause you any trouble?"</p><p> </p><p>Draco frowned and Luna laughed, "I don't want to talk about it."</p><p> </p><p>The rest of the night was spent catching up on everything they'd missed since months before Hogwarts. Their hobbies - Luna had started journaling and knitting, Draco had taken up sword fighting much to his father's dismay. Their friends - Luna had made friends with a baby Thestral who was hanging around the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Draco talked about Parvati and Neville as well as how he wanted Luna to make some  human  friends. Finally, their day - Luna had spent most of the time outside with the Thestral, Draco just recounted everything.</p><p> </p><p>Luna took it surprisingly well, she’d never liked Dumbledore. There was no real reason, it was just a gut feeling that she couldn’t shake and she avoided eye contact with him since she knew he was a skilled legilimency user.</p><p> </p><p>After playing with Caleo for a while, Draco retired to his room where he found out that he shared a room with Terry (and another boy he didn't recognise) and the blond slept.  </p><p> </p><p>4am found Professor Quirrell roaming the castle. His hands were clasped together as he briskly walked up and down several corridors, intermittently poking at the scratch on his face that he had received while attempting to pet Mrs Norris.</p><p> </p><p>As the night continued, Quirrell had no luck. The stairs kept shifting right before he stood on them and it seemed all of the portraits were nosy wanted to know what he was doing. It had been hours and the sun was almost up.</p><p> </p><p> Form slumped as he sat on the dusty floor, he helplessly sighed, wondering why he hadn’t found what he was looking for.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“You good-for-nothing weakling-“</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>A wheezing, croaky voice spoke, muffled by the fabric of the turban Quirrell wore. Quirrell’s eyes widened comically and his throat dried as he tried to apologise and appease his master.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Find the stone, <em>now</em>.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Quirrell jumped to his feet, arms quivering like leaves, and ran towards the stairs to the third floor then used the railing to propel himself upwards faster. It looked stupid but he was too scared to care.</p><p> </p><p>The echo of his feet pounding on the stone resonated down the corridor but it did not drown out Quirrell’s heart beat. No matter how many times Voldemort spoke to him, fear would always grip his heart and he’d teeter on the edge of a panic attack</p><p> </p><p>Door after door, room after room, the monotony of the hall was stretching his patience thin but the voice on the back of his head was a great motivator. Not only did it switch between insults and (empty) promises of reward, it’d throw in a few detailed descriptions of how it’d torture Quirrell if he didn’t find the stone.</p><p> </p><p>As to be expected, desperation was building within him, frantic eyes and hands looked in every nook and cranny and no stone unturned but he found nothing. </p><p> </p><p>Until he opened the door to the room by the arched window that looked out into the school grounds. The sun was rising. Only an hour until breakfast.</p><p> </p><p>Draco instinctively woke up at 6am as his body had not yet adjusted to the school curriculum and thought he was still going to get up early to practice sword fighting.  </p><p> </p><p>Once Draco awoke, he couldn't get back to sleep so he grimaced as he got up, and splashed cool water on his face to wake him up properly, after he had rubbed his eyes, and made his way out to the courtyard while sun was just beginning to peek its head over the horizon and the wind sent chills up his arms. He sat on the floor, facing the school, for a while, enjoying his rare moments of peace and simply gazing at every wall and window. This had only continued for only a few minutes when he'd caught a glimpse of the "puppy" on the third-floor,</p><p> </p><p>'What better time to explore than now?' Draco thought to himself as he dusted his trousers and crept up the stairs, ball of light at the tip of his wand, careful not to alert anyone of his presence, and stood outside the classroom door to ponder about how to proceed.</p><p> </p><p>"Stupify? No, it'll take at least 3 and by that time I'll already be part of it's digestive cycle. Petrificus Totalus? Maybe...." The muttering went on until the blond settled on conjuring a ball to distract it. Not the best plan, he would admit, but honestly - apart from an avada - the best plan he could come up with since he didn't know the animal's capabilities.</p><p> </p><p>The door creaked open and Draco rolled the bright red thing into the darkness, the dog took one look at it and left it's perch in favour of kicking it about. Draco cautiously crawled to the edge of the room, and took long strides towards the wooden trapdoor - but of course, nothing could go without a hitch, the classroom was untouched and therefore very  very  dusty. Draco Lucius Malfoy's one weakness: dust.</p><p> </p><p>The panic set in immediately and he tried it to stop breathing in order to stop inhaling anymore of his kryptonite but the damage had already been done. He felt the tickle in his nose, and involuntarily inhaled before he released a sneeze so loud that even the Giant Cerberus startled and turned it's head towards the intruder.</p><p> </p><p>It stalked towards the blond, growling with saliva running out from between it's extremely sharp incisors, looked at Draco eye-to-eye - barely centimetres between them -, sniffed him and did the unthinkable... Licked him. It's breath stank but Draco preferred that over receiving puncture holes in his body from the massive softie(?)'s teeth. Hesitantly, he reached up to stroke it's fur and was rewarded with quick tail wags and the beast rolling onto it's back - presenting it's stomach for rubs.</p><p> </p><p>He'd played with Ana, short for Ananas - which meant pineapple in French (because she was hard on the outside but soft on the inside), for only a few minutes when Ana stopped and growled, much more angrily than at Draco, at the door. The blond cast a spell that made him camouflage with the wall and waited for whoever was at the door to walk in.</p><p> </p><p>He expected one of his friends, maybe even the head master! But instead, a crazed man wearing a purple turban walked in. The man looked absolutely elated, a smile stretched across his face, almost splitting it open, and his eyes grew as wide as saucers.</p><p> </p><p>"This must've been what Dumbledore was talking about!" The man giddily declared, "This is where I'll find the <em>Philosopher's Stone</em>."</p><p> </p><p>By the time Quirrell finished his little happy dance, it was crystal clear that he wasn’t in his right mind. He had somehow not noticed Ana - who had backed up and used her whole body as a perimeter around the trapdoor, ears laid flat against her head as her eyes never left Quirrell - so Draco had to assume that he had done the same as he and Theo had the day before and had gone through every classroom on the floor to find the place. Every classroom was literally identical, almost down to the same placement of dust, seeing a room without the same oak desks and chairs - facing the same blackboard with the same chalk - had Draco sighing of relief at the time.</p><p> </p><p>A voice from beneath the turban commanded Quirrell to turn around and let him see what the ‘Inefficient fool’ was looking at. Quirrell carefully unwrapped the fabric from his head and turned around, revealing a very ugly face, with signature red eyes, that immediately locked eyes with the canine that guarded Hell itself.</p><p> </p><p><strong>“- Run away, you insufferable idiot!”</strong> It hissed.</p><p> </p><p>Draco expected Quirrell to quickly send a barrage of spells at Ana, since he was a DADA teacher, so he readied himself to fight the professor. However, one thing that neither Draco nor Ana knew (yet) was that Quinnerus Quirrell was a coward. A man with no backbone. A life without orders would be his personal hell. Needless to say, as soon as he was snapped out of his happy haze, he took one look at Ana and ran away. Mouth open, silently screaming.</p><p> </p><p>“At least he’s gone.” Draco shrugged, dispelling his spell and reaching on his tippy toes to pet Ana, absentmindedly.</p><p> </p><p>Concluding that Quirrell wouldn’t be back before Breakfast, Draco said his goodbyes to his new friend and strolled over to the room of requirement where he wrote - with a peacock feather quill - what he now knew from his encounter with the professor: </p><p>‘New Info:</p><p>- Artefact: Philosopher’s Stone</p><p>- Dumbledore told Quirrell that he had the stone.</p><p>- The massive dog is friendly (to me)</p><p>- Quirrell is scared of the dog</p><p>- Head-Voldemort can speak ‘</p><p> </p><p>Not much information but it saved him and his friends from wasting time looking for information about what artefact could resurrect people as well as allowing them to figure out what was beneath the trapdoor with ease.</p><p> </p><p>Grey eyes glanced at the clock then to a mirror as he chose to return to the Ravenclaw common room in order to get ready for breakfast. Oddly enough, the door simply allowed him inside the area without so much as a word- not that he was complaining!</p><p> </p><p>As soon as he stepped through the door to his dorm, 2 wands, on their respective bedside tables, began vibrating - indicating that it was 7am and they had an hour before breakfast began at 8am.</p><p> </p><p>Terry was the first properly awake and after asking where Draco had come from, got ready for the day and entered the en-suite bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>Draco took the time to properly dress himself (he had showered the night before, already anticipating an early start) and looked himself in the tall mirror.</p><p> </p><p>Dull-ish blonde hair like a glowing halo on his extremely pale skin. Grey eyes that had seen too much and yet not enough at the same time, barely seen short eyelashes that matched his naturally arched eyebrows.</p><p>His robes were of the highest quality, the best money could buy, but had the Hogwarts crest on his chest pocket and no colour on the fold unlike every other student. There were several scars on his fingers - some from accidents playing with friends and others from incidents he’d rather not remember.</p><p> </p><p>Back straight, always holding himself at his full height. He carried himself with a confidence that came with ease after all the work he put in as he strived to surpass everyone in every way.</p><p> </p><p>He was unmistakably young but worry lines were slowly carving themselves into his skin and the bags under his eyes weren’t terrible but certainly looked like they were making themselves at home on his face as they showed no signs of disappearing.</p><p> </p><p>Draco took a deep breath and left the dorm in favour of Luna’s where the blonde was gazing intently at a crack in the wall as if observing something truly fascinating.</p><p> </p><p>The boy peaked his head over her shoulder, almost knocking into her, and hummed inquisitively at the same wall before snarkily telling her that this was one of the reasons people thought she was either insane or always high. Luna sighed and intentionally head-butted him before grabbing his hand and strolling out the common room humming a song that didn’t seem to have a tune, completely ignoring Draco's overdramatic shriek of pain.</p><p> </p><p>They walked into the Great Hall to find the area with barely 20 students and only a few professors. Draco eenie-meenie-miney-mo’d the four tables and landed on Hufflepuff where he dragged his cousin over and began to eat from the lavish selection of food before him. Less than 10 minutes passed and the hall was starting to fill up and become rowdy. Hannah Abbott fiddled with her fingers as she inched in, worrying about where she’d sit - especially if Cedric had decided that he didn’t need a ‘loser like me’ with him. She was moments away from making a U-turn and skipping breakfast altogether, when several voices called out her name.</p><p> </p><p>“Hannah!!” A blonde with long hair</p><p>“Over here! At Hufflepuff!” Cedric</p><p>“Yoohoo!!” Draco called</p><p>“HANNAH ELIZABETH ABBOTT” long black hair on bronze skin, Parvati</p><p>“Is that her middle name?” Draco questioned</p><p>“I don’t know...”</p><p>“HANNAH LOUISE ABBOTT” Blaise, of course, never one to let go of an opportunity to mess around</p><p>“HANNAH MARIE ABBOTT” Parvati this time.</p><p>“HANNAH JEMMA ABBOTT” One of the twins</p><p>“HANNAH GEORGINA ABBOTT” the other twin</p><p> </p><p>Draco raised his eyebrow, "You guys are far too excited in the mornings." </p><p> </p><p>Hannah grinned, and almost jogged towards them. After the polite greetings and a short conversation about her middle name “It’s Elle by the way...” “How very common-“ Draco shook his head but his eyes betrayed that he was joking.</p><p> </p><p>The only person missing was Pansy, who had overheard some blue students whispering, “I <em>knew</em> I should’ve been sorted in Gryffindor.” And “The poor hat!” so naturally, she made herself comfortable at the Ravenclaw table and began to interrogate them - leaving everyone to their else to their own devices. Luna and Draco had noticed the stares and whispers but school drama was decidedly low on their priority list so it required no action from them.</p><p> </p><p>“Now to business.” Draco propped his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together, “Here are your timetables and this is what I found out this morning.”</p><p> </p><p>After collecting her timetable, Parvati banged her head on the table, narrowly missing her bowl of cereal, and groaned aloud "Of course we have potions first." she sat up and grabbed Neville's arm, "You're sitting with me."</p><p> </p><p>Neville nodded his head with a slightly nervous look on his face, unused to Parvati's tactility, and watched Parvati pump her fist as she whispered something about Pansy abandoning her for Draco 'of all people'. Neville then laughed and shook his head,</p><p> </p><p>"Wow, you're just <em>using</em> me?" He put on his best 'woe-is-me' expression, "I am <em>deeply hurt</em>, Parvati.". George tutted and Fred wiped fake teas from his eyes. Neville continued, "To think, I thought of us as <em>friends</em>."</p><p> </p><p>Caught off guard, Parvati frantically tried to amend her statement but she was drowned out by everyone's laughter. She turned away huffing with her arms folded once she realised he was joking.</p><p> </p><p>Cedric, ever the gentleman, tapped a fork against his empty glass cup and cleared his throat, bringing the conversation back to Draco's morning adventure. He made several copies of the neat notes and passed it around while everyone leaned further into the table in an attempt to not let anyone overhear them. Dumbledore's piercing gaze was trained on Draco, making Cedric and Fred (who sat in front of Draco) increasingly cautious. Draco gave the whole group a couple of seconds to read and absorb the information then cracked his knuckles and summoned a new piece of parchment, writing and listing aloud everyone's tasks.</p><p> </p><p>- Blaise: Research the Philosopher's Stone.</p><p> </p><p>"What?! Why me?!" Blaise exclaimed, gesturing animatedly at himself. Draco looked at him cooly, telling him that it was because Blaise was the only person - besides himself - who enjoyed reading enough to read the vast amount of books required to research the stone. To Draco's surprise, Neville raised his hand as if in a classroom and told him that he loved to read as well, so Draco wrote his name down next to Blaise's.</p><p> </p><p>Draco: Investigating beneath the trapdoor.</p><p> </p><p>Pravati raised her hand eagerly and clasped her hands together and <strike>demanded</strike> offered to join him, Cedric widened his eyes and chose to go as well since 'You both have no sense of danger', Luna shrugged and decided to tag along with Caleo. Draco looked at each of them, weighed the pros and cons and wrote their names down as well, he was certain that they'd be useful at some point during the escapade.</p><p> </p><p>- Fred and George: Learn Quirrell's schedule</p><p> </p><p>George gasped in horror, "You dare give us the most boring job!" he pouted, Fred flipped Draco off.</p><p> </p><p>"Get a grip." Draco stated, "Please try to take into consideration that <em>the head speaks</em> so you have the opportunity to provoke the <em>Dark Lord himself</em>!" Draco was half joking. He wasn't sure of how much Voldemort could do but it would be very unfortunate if either of them ended up dead from pranking the cowardly teacher. Somewhat placated, the twins went back to eating so Draco turned to Hannah,</p><p> </p><p>"I don't have a job for you yet, but I'm sure something will come up!", Hannah wasn't sure why Draco said it as if she was actively looking for work but she politely smiled and looked back at the new edition of The Daily Prophet newspaper which featured an article about the new first years with a front page image of Ronald Weasley collecting his <em>pet rat</em> from his mother who beamed at him proudly. </p><p> </p><p>Theo noticed that he didn't have a job either but knew better than to question his friend about it and end up with some menial task he'd hate, unfortunately, it turned out Draco wasn't finished! He gave Theo the responsibility of not only finding out a way to teach Hannah, Cedric, Fred, Parvati and George occlumency but also finding something that would distract Dumbledore while Draco, Luna, Cedric and Parvati entered the trapdoor - just in case Dumbledore had some sort of monitoring spell around the corridor.</p><p> </p><p>Right before Theo could start vehemently rejecting his task, Pansy glided over and called all the attention to her by clapping her hands and clearing her throat obnoxiously,</p><p> </p><p>"I have something <em>extremely</em> important to tell everyone," She called, jaw uncharacteristically tense, "but tell me what we're talking about, first."</p><p> </p><p>Parvati took her hands in her own, "Draco says you should teach me to duel!" she exclaimed, eyes twinkling. Pansy squealed, and all the crucial information she had to share left her head in an instance. Draco attempted to tell Pansy that he hadn't said that but gave up quickly as they were obviously ignoring him, besides, <em><strong>what's the worst that could happen?</strong></em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading!! I've gone back and fixed several mistakes and added tiny bits to the previous chapters (nothing that furthers the plot any more than it already did) because I hate how simple my writing style was (and still is but I'm working on it)</p><p>I think you can figure out where I'm going with the news article, right? Also, I know the Quirrell POV isn't great so I'll be fixing that later this week as well as adding Chapter Titles! What do you think about the next chapter being in Harry, Ron or Hermione's POV?</p><p>Answer the Google Form and leave me some feedback/suggestions in the comments :))</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. “You’re going to imperio him!”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a>
  <br/>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s2">On a nearby bright red table, Harry, Ron and Hermione were staring at the group that sat at Hufflepuff but couldn’t make out even a word of what they were saying. Only catching glimpses of outraged faces, mock annoyance and a few unimpressed gazes.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Although it was clear that Draco was the one to watch, Hermione couldn’t help but think that Pansy (who was at the Ravenclaw table that time) was either investigating or planning something important. Her smile and friendly demeanour simply didn’t match the Ravenclaw students’ expressions, and her theory was only solidified when the black-haired girl’s smile dropped when she turned to strut over to her friends. Granger narrowed her eyes when Pansy’s serious expression was replaced with an elated one as she jumped up and down, with a south Asian girl, shamelessly.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron folded his arms and rested his elbows on the table,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“I can’t believe they <em>betrayed</em> me.” One arm reaches for a plate of bacon, “My own brothers are friends with that blood purist.” He chewed the meat quickly and started eating some scrambled egg.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Let it be known that instead of simply asking his older brothers what was going on, before they all went to bed, and why they were siding with Draco, Ron had decided to ignore his brothers and had gotten very upset when he realised that they didn't try to talk to him anyway. He went to sleep that night almost-cursing them out (e.g. those poop-heads) and had a nightmare that they turned into spiders and chasing him around The Burrow.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Hermione nodded, “We must tell Dumbledore about their plans!”. Ron had sat with Harry and Hermione in the common room after leaving the kitchens and told them all about the feud between The Weasleys and Malfoys before explaining blood purity to them. Hermione had been appalled, she had gone from bullied to oppressed and none of it made any logical sense. Harry, on the other hand, felt more resigned than shocked, beating himself up inside for holding onto hope that he’d finally have an average life - on the plus side, he was rich and famous now! And it only cost him his biological parents. A bargain, if you ask me!</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"I'd agree with you, if our lives weren't on the line." Harry scratched the back of his neck, "Surely there's a loophole somewhere. Right?"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"Patil was quite thorough. We can't do anything intentionally."Hermione straightened, "We'll have to stop them<em> ourselves</em>!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron chewed faster but decided to just talk with his mouth full, ignoring Hermione's disapproval, "We don't know what they're planning, though." </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Hermione smirked, a weird thing to see since she normally had a self-satisfied look (aka the I-Know-More-Than-You-and-You're-Dumb look) on her face that made everybody hate her, and said one word before biting into a scone and leaving the hall (with the other half in her hand), leaving her two acquaintances to draw their own conclusions.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em>
    <span class="s2">"Neville."</span>
  </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The boys looked at each other then at her back as she turned to go either to class or to her dorm. Harry glanced at the chubby boy he had snapped at, the day prior, and glared at him. Said boy turned around with his doe eyes and cocked his head to the side when he made eye contact with Harry, from behind him, Luna leaned back to stare at Ron owlishly before grinning when he flinched. Neville turned to her and she told him something that made him turn back to the pair before breaking out in fits of laughter that Luna soon joined.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ronald was red faced and embarrassed while Harry was just angry, green eyes ablaze with both jealousy and irritation. He only had one actual friend and the only other person he knew wasn't very easy to get along with. Yet Draco had already made himself at home with his abundance of friends surrounding him - not a care in the world - while Harry stayed nervous, worrying if he'd be an outcast here just like in the muggle world.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> haven't even done anything to <em>them</em>!" He gestured wildly, showing his frustration and confusion, "<em>We're</em> the good guys,<em> they're</em> the ones hanging with those- those <em>snakes</em>!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron agreed with Harry, conveniently ignoring their previous interactions with the inter-house group, and stuck out his tongue at his older brothers even though they weren't looking at him.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> weren't the ones who forced them to make unbreakable vows."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Harry added on, "<em>We</em> didn't set their robes on fire or make bats fly out of their nose!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> weren't raised by racists who followed You-Know-Who."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> didn't petrify another student!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> didn't shove people around using magic!" </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> didn't corrupt people in other houses!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> didn't make their siblings join the evil side!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> didn't spread lies about the Head Master!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>We</em> didn't threaten them!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"Youse didn't use dark magic on the sorting hat, either!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">That last sentence was interjected from another first year Gryffindor Ron recognised from their dorm room, Seamus Finnegan, a loud ginger Irish boy who was sat right next to them so it was no wonder how he heard them. Harry whipped his head to the side and shouted in disbelief, </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"Malfoy did that?!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The Irishman shrugged, "How else do you explain being sorted in all 4 houses?" He looked in Draco's direction for a second before looking back at Harry, "Even look at the logo on his robe, it hasn't changed from the Hogwarts emblem. <em>Malfoy, doesn't belong here</em>."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Seamus was a half-blood like Harry and only knew a tiny bit more about magic than the green-eyed boy did so when he overheard the fat lady tell Nearly-Headless Nick about 'The Malfoy boy cursing the hat!' He didn't know enough to realise that it would be impossible to do such a thing, Dumbledore would've noticed before Malfoy's sorting, and spells like that were too dangerous for a child to cast so not even Lucius Malfoy would allow his son to attempt them.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Percy Weasley, however, was a pure-blood who despised blood purity but still had access to all the information about magic he could ever need, so he knew better than the three kids - even his brother, since his parents gave up teaching the twins the customs after a joint feat of accidental magic occurred mid-class that destroyed a cherished family heirloom.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Percy was well aware of his younger brother's temper and had originally planned to simply ignore Ron since he had no reason to defend Malfoy's honour. However, when several first years from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw turned pale after hearing about dark magic and a possible mistake in the sorting ceremony, he knew he needed to step in. Percy was often referred to as 'pompous', a word he disagreed with as he was simply acting according to his ability - aka cockily - and while he often tried to be humble, people saw that as weakness and tried to use him as a doormat so he quickly stopped trying. Nevertheless, as a prefect, his job was to make the first years feel comfortable and safe so he had to put a stop to the rumours, even if it meant arguing with Ron.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">He slid in, next to Ron, and posed a question to him and his friends in the least provoking way he could think of,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"Surely Dumbledore would've stopped him?" He phrased it as a speculation in order to make Ron, Seamus and Harry actually think about their answer so it wouldn't seem like he was shutting them down outright and spoke just loud enough to garner the attention of the pale kids.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">After receiving no response from the gingers and seeing Harry's expectant face, Percy continued, "There's <em>no way</em> Malfoy is strong enough to cast a spell to do that." By stating fact in a way that seemed insulting, it made the firsties more likely to accept Percy's reasoning and abandon the baseless rumour.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Unfortunately, Ron was hard-headed and Harry trusted him more than Percy so when Ron drew the conclusion that Lucius had preformed a ritual with other death eaters that gave Draco enough power for the spell and that Dumbledore hadn't seen him do the spell because he didn't expect an 11 year old to be so evil - it all made sense to the rich half-blood.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"That's got to be it!" Harry exclaimed. Ron's explanation fit well with Harry's perception of Malfoy. "The whole Slytherin house must be in on it!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Seamus made a similar sound of understanding and Percy couldn't get a word in edgewise once they started fabricating versions of a ritual that - to the older boy's knowledge- didn't exist. In almost any other situation, their detailed descriptions and exaggeration would be funny, maybe even hilarious. But with every falsity and depiction of muggle sacrifice, more and more kids grew pale then green. Even some second and third years were eyeing the Slytherin table with more aggressive looks than usual that varied from horrified to disgusted while those at Ravenclaw shuffled away from the huddled group of 11 - inadvertently helping them keep their plans secret.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The older Weasley was about to give up - he wasn't getting through to the boys and, in his opinion, avoiding Slytherins wasn't a bad idea either - when Ron snootily turned to him,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"I <em>knew</em> you weren't as smart as me," Ron grinned, "there was such an obvious explanation!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Percy glared at Ron, about to make a cutting remark about how he'd already garnered a terrible reputation already and was gullible enough to believe a dark wizard would be so blatant with their schemes when an excited squeal sounded from the Hufflepuff table and Pansy Parkinson ran, Parvati Patil in tow, out of the Great Hall smile almost splitting her face open.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ronald shovelled eggs into his mouth and raced after the girls, Harry soon followed and Seamus was too confused to follow suit. Percy forced himself to calm down, 'no use in screaming after him, I'd look silly.', and went back to his spot further up the table.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"The <em>future minister of magic</em> wouldn't get mad at something like this..." He muttered to himself over and over again until a black girl from across the table, who looked to be around George's age, gave him a weird look. He got up and sat next to her, starting a conversation after realising that she was on the quidditch team.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">The ginger and technically brunet were sprinting trying to catch up with the girls who were already outside of the school, standing next to the Black Lake, and just managed to hide behind a tree in time to hear the end of what Parvati was telling Pansy,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"-we must <em>steal</em> it from the groundskeeper."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Parvati was staring into the murky black of the lake as if looking directly at something while Pansy groaned aloud, complaining about more mysterious tasks when they'd just come out here to duel. She then whirled around, staring directly at the tree the two boys were hiding behind and told them off for spying on the two 'defenceless, damsels in distress'.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ronald drew himself up to his full height, still quite short but that's besides the point, and stepped out from behind the tree with his wand facing down in his hand. Harry then followed.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"We heard everything!" The brunet told them, frowning, "We won't let you steal from Hagrid!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Pansy furrowed her brows and face palmed, "You certainly didn't hear everything if you think that's <em>all</em> we're going to do to him." She shook her head, disappointed in them.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Parvati elbowed Pansy in the ribcage, "What she<em> means</em> is," she put her hands up, "We need to get answers from him. Plus, it's not thievery if he just gives it to us."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron gasped aloud, "I should've known you'd stoop that low."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"Huh?" Pansy said, confused, "<em>Talking</em> is against your morals now?"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"You're going to <em>imperio</em> him!" </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"Why would we do that?" Pansy queried, not even slightly bothered by the accusation.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron pointed his finger at her, "Because he won't let you steal his dragon egg!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Harry rushed over to Ron and smacked his hand over his mouth, "<em>SHHHHHH</em>, that was a secret!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron rolled his eyes and licked Harry's palm so he'd release him. "They already knew! What else could they be looking for that Hagrid has?"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Parvati scratched behind her head, "Uh, I'm not really sure how to tell you this..."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"We had no idea about the egg." Pansy snickered, this was almost as much fun as duelling - who knew the groundskeeper had a dragon egg?</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">"<em>Ron!</em>" Harry cried desperately.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron panicked, stuttered and looked around for help. Half apologising to Harry and Hagrid (who wasn't there) and half threatening the girls. Pansy was still snickering, taunting the red head, telling him about al the ways they'd kidnap the dragon egg and use it to burn down his house just like Draco burnt his robes.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">Ron raised his wand and fired the only spell he could think of- </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em>
    <strong>
      <span class="s2">"Confringo"</span>
    </strong>
  </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey! As you can see, the chapter titles have been updated and this chapter is from the perspective of Ron, Harry and a bit of Percy. </p><p>I keep speeding up events in The Philosopher’s Stone but let’s just say Harry, Ron and Hermione went to see Hagrid between lunch and dinner? I did mean to post this  hours ago but I fell asleep.</p><p>Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments or the google form in the summary :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. "I've seen way too many gingers this week."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>
  <a href="https://forms.gle/7JB95ww2ULAu1zCd7"> Plot Questions Form!
 </a>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The spell was abrupt, messily cast but it fired anyway. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It's trajectory made it hit the Black Lake, after Pansy had pushed Parvati out of it's way, leaving an eruption of water to come down like droplets of rain on their heads. Parvati ran to the edge of the lake and started wading through the water, she quickly submerged her head after throwing her robe off to shore and swam into the dark depths with no real plan in mind.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Harry stared after her in confusion, but his attention was diverted to Pansy who had been standing perfectly still after she'd sprung into action to protect her friend. Ron was flinging half-assed excuses at her, trying to make it seem like Pansy's fault that he'd almost blown her best friend up and that he was just trying to protect himself.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy laughed. She threw her head back and chuckled like it was the funniest thing she's heard in her entire life - but the something felt off about it. The sound was hollow and chilling, paired with her smile that showed just a few too many teeth and crinkles at the edge of her eyes that couldn't help but look fake.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy looked at Ron, practically staring through his soul and raised her own wand which had been hidden in her sleeve.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“<em>Ron</em>,” the use of his first name had him tense, “do you want an </span> <em><span class="s2">actual</span></em> <span class="s1">demonstration of what that spell can do?” </span></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She had started walking forward now, wand poking Ron in the chest, unblinking. Blue eyes widened and looked at the black ones before them, Ron attempted to respond but his stuttering made it impossible to interpret (not that Pansy cared). It wasn't that Ron was cared, he just had a sinking feeling in his stomach that he couldn't pin to an emotion. She plucked his wand from his hand and pocketed it without looking.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">"<em>I could blow a hole in your chest </em></span> <em> <span class="s2">right now</span></em> <span class="s1">." Pansy let out a short giggle, "If we're being honest, there's<em> nothing</em> stopping me." </span></p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ron inhaled a sharp breath, raising a somewhat steady hand to the wand that was pointed at him, still unsure if Pansy was serious since - in his eyes - he hadn't injured anyone so no harm done. Pansy said the first syllable of the spell and Harry flinched but Ron stood ignorantly in the face of grievous injury.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy raised her eyebrows in surprise, subconsciously pushing the wand deeper into the small boy's chest. "My mistake," she put the hand that wasn't threatening Weasley up in mock surrender, "I forgot that you don't know the lengths that I am willing to go for revenge." She turned her head to the side and shook it while tutting.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Weasley furrowed his brows, still not comprehending the danger that he was in. Parkinson men were notoriously violent and resorted to duels often while the women were soft-spoken and used their words as weapons to tear down their opponent. This was how it had been for as long as the family had been around but with the development of technology, and Pansy's rebellious nature, the youngest Parkinson had seen videos of wars and murders alongside inequality and began idolising her father for his power but not for how he used it. Unfortunately, her father was a traditional man and refused to 'bring shame' on his family by having an aggressive girl instead of a mild-mannered lady. This in mind, Pansy latched onto the nearest influence that could help her achieve her goal. Bellatrix Lestrange.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Even so, Ron still didn't know Pansy's name (and who in their right mind would want to be tutored by a Lestrange?) and his own red hair gave him away. Maybe if he had known, he wouldn't have been so quick to draw his wand, perhaps he would've thought twice about brushing his actions off and possibly even decided against following her out and gone back inside when he heard that Parvati and Pansy were going to be duelling each other for fun. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But he didn't.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy knew this, and simply did not care. She gave him enough chances to change his attitude but instead he only grew more confident that she wouldn't hurt him, and she couldn't allow that. Pansy pushed some of her hair back behind her ear and sighed before looking back into Ron's eyes. Believe it or not, but she looked scarier amused. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ron started blinking a little faster, he called out to Harry who had been watching the exchange stunned in place by fear - knowing from his experience with the Dursleys that being quiet and staying out of it was the best way to avoid being punished. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Harry kept his eyes on Pansy and addressed his friend, "Just leave it, Ron." Ron nervously hummed agreement and started taking a step back when Pansy stopped him. Reminding him that he still hadn't answered her question, digging the ever present wand further into his chest making him yelp in pain that Pansy mocked. After failing to receive an adequate response that wasn't 80% 'erm's and shrugs she took matters into her own hands and directed her wand at the sky and said the exact same spell with confident movements that showed many months of practice.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A bright fireball the size of a family car shot through the air and up into the clouds where it exploded sending waves of wind through the sky, disturbing birds who squawked in dismay from almost falling before righting themselves. The blast's momentum shook trees aggressively and the three students' robes rippled around them.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Harry swore aloud, flinching so hard that he fell to the ground and scrambled backwards. Ron grasped for his wand that he forgot Pansy took and instead gripped his robe pocket until his knuckles turned white. Pansy had to hand it to them, at least they hadn't actually fainted. Their naivety was adorable. If they were a few years older they'd know that being able to cast a spell like that meant whoever cast it was able to cast greater spells that could do worse than leave a gaping hole in someone's torso.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy grinned at the boys faces and pointed her wand at back at Ron, a 'bombarda maxima' on her lips when another ginger emerged from the castle, sprinting towards Pansy, successfully disarming her after his third attempt. Pansy snarled, turned to the Weasley and looked him up and down.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Pansy Parkinson!" He shouted, “What do you think you’re doing?!”</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“<em>Dancing</em>.” She asked sarcastically, "I've seen <em>way</em> too many gingers this week." She whispered to herself, glared at him.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ron stood incredibly still, mind running a mile a minute. Pansy Parkinson. <em>Parkinson</em>. He had angered a Parkinson. He blinked a few times and crouched down and put his head in his hands while muttering to himself about how rotten his luck was and telling himself that he couldn't've known since Pansy acted nothing like the other girls. He had secretly wished she was some nobody and just part of Malfoy's posse who couldn't do anything but fan girl over the blonde boy, there were no Purebloods that had outspoken women like Pansy ('traditional values' and all that crap) except the Lestrange's and Walburga Black who was dead.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy sniggered but acted like nothing happened when the boy on the floor looked up at her. She waved to him, face hard like stone, and curtsied while introducing herself before turning back to Percy with a put upon sigh.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Percy opened his mouth to reprimand her but Pansy had already turned around and was walking towards the Black Lake. Parvati still hadn't come up since she'd dived down but Pansy wasn't worried. Ron called out his brother's name - after getting over his newfound revelation - and told him that a girl was underwater and hadn't come up for air in at least 5 minutes. The prefect thought fast and cast a bubblehead charm on himself while removing his robes and diving into the water.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy entertained the idea of simply telling Percy that Parvati was in no danger but was saved from the trouble when the missing girl in question's head arose from the water accompanied by another head who was turned away from the shore, therefore obscuring it's face. Pansy deducted that is was a mermaid and that was only confirmed when she saw Parvati sign something to it.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The oldest ginger there swam towards Parvati and ,twice as quickly as it came up, the mermaid was gone. Back down into the deep depths of the lake. Parvati's hair was stuck to the side of her face and she looked bewildered as she smiled and waved at Pansy before she was hauled to shore by Percy who simply wasn't ready to unpack what he had just seen.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once the boy had conjured a blanket for the drenched girl, he began berating Pansy without knowing the events that transpired that lead to her display of power (that was very impressive but Percy wasn't going to admit that to himself until much later). </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy sat next to Parvati with her legs in a basket and cracked her fingers, absentmindedly listening to the phrases she'd heard too many times in her life for - what she considered - unreasonable reasons. Mid-warming charm, Percy was getting frustrated about Pansy's flippant attitude and his voice started to raise along with his temperature but it was only one sentence that made her properly react to him,</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You<em> thrive</em> off of <em>violence</em>!" He shouted, Pansy looked at him with disdainful eyes but said nothing, "There wasn't a single reason to cast that spell! It was a <em>pathetic</em> attempt at showing off-"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pansy smiled not believing what she was hearing, "Oh that's <em>rich</em> coming from you!" She screwed her face up a little, "Correct me if I'm wrong here, Parvati, but it was Ronald Weasley who cast the first spell, right?" The bob-haired girl turned to Parvati who nodded earnestly. "Aimed at <em>us</em>, too!" Again, the south Asian nodded.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ron put up his hand, "Hold on! You were threatening me!" At Pansy's raised eyebrow he continued, "Just yesterday you-" His answer was cut short and Pansy covered her mouth and looked behind her to hide her grin. Unbreakable Vows really were very useful.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Percy inclined his head inquisitively at his younger brother who stood there facing the floor with an angry pout, "You're saying you cast a Confringo-" Ron reluctantly nodded, "because a pair of school girls - what? Annoyed you?" Percy looked confused and disappointed, Pansy wasn’t completely sure how she felt about Percy saying ‘school girls’ like they were a minor inconvenience but let it slide. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"They threatened us!" Ron insisted, "That girl was whispering all scary-like about <em>robbing Hagrid</em>!" </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a hand clutching her heart, Pansy gasped, "We were only joking!" She gestured towards the lake, "Parvati was translating for the mermaids! We'd just befriended them!"</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Parvati had taken a course with her sister Padma and actually enjoyed it since she could now gossip about people to her twin without others knowing, Padma found out that mermaids at Hogwarts had also been taught BSL by the students in the Slytherin dorms and that only served to motivate Parvati since she thought it'd be pretty cool to talk to mermaids.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Percy (again not mentally prepared to unpack the fact that Parvati had communicated with mermaids) shook his head at his brother, torn between justice and family allegiance. He couldn't just let the incident go, Confringo was an extremely dangerous spell and there was no doubt that both parties knew what the spell did. Percy debating internally and chose a round-a-bout method of evasion.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Right," He began, "I'll deal with you two later. However, right now, Parvati needs medical help." </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh absolutely not," Pansy exclaimed, "You said that I thrive off of violence as if your brother hasn't been the one starting frights with my friends!" She pointed accusatory fingers at Ron who had unearthed a newfound interest in the clouds and was staring intently at the floating things, "We're not leaving until you apologise."</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Percy shook his head at her, reminding her that 1. Her friend's life could be at risk and 2. Respect your elders. Pansy began a retort but stopped by a shaky voice belonging to Parvati told her that it wasn't worth it so Pansy pressed her palms into her eyes and counted to 10 before helping Parvati up and walking back into the castle.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Harry and Ron had detached from the group as soon as they entered the castle, perhaps due to guilt, and once Parvati was safely in the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey had finished quizzing them on what happened - Percy took the Slytherin to just outside the doors and raked a hand through his hair.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look, I'm sorry. It wasn't right of me to say that but I was in over my head and didn't know what to do! You sat there casually and that rubbed me the wrong way." Pansy folded her arms and told him that making excuses cancelled out the apology like PEDMAS so Percy continued, "My feelings don't excuse my actions, you and your friend are first-years and I should've done everything differently." Pansy nodded, satisfied while Percy made one more statement, "Just know that you can come to me if you have any problems, yeah? I promise not to lose my head again." </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The recipient of the offer gave him a brief smile and walked towards the Great Hall where Breakfast had almost finished and her friends were walking out, leaving Percy to continue with his day.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Theo spotted her, first. "What happened to Parvati?" He inquired, assuming something bad had happened since Pansy and Parvati were practically inseparable. Most eyes turned to Pansy, who waved them off and walked beside Theo as they went to their first class. Potions.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello again! My lovely commenters seemed to like Percy so here is some more insight into my version of Percy :) </p><p>I think the UK say PEDMAS too, but correct me if I'm wrong. </p><p>I love the idea of students talking to the mermaids and Pansy being (a slightly saner) Bellatrix's apprentice. In this story, Google was made in 1985 (but way less developed)</p><p>Potions class, next! Honestly, I don't like Snape that much in the actual series so i'm going to change him a bit (especially since Neville is part of the honorary slytherin group)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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